St. Johann Baptist (Altkrautheim)

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St. Johann Baptist in Altkrautheim , a district of Krautheim in Hohenlohekreis in Baden-Württemberg , is a Catholic parish church . The oldest parts of the building date from 1322; the church received its current shape through a generous expansion in 1970/71.

history

In the high Middle Ages, Altkrautheim was the ecclesiastical center for the surrounding towns of Berg-Krautheim, Tal-Krautheim, Unterginsbach, Klepsau, Horrenbach and Oberndorf, whose inhabitants had their baptisms and burials in Altkrautheim. A pastor and one dedicated to St. Churches consecrated to Johann Baptist are mentioned as early as 1151.

Today's church goes back to a new building from 1322, as evidenced by a dated foundation stone on the north wall of the tower.

As a member of the Order of St. John , the church remained Catholic at the time of the Reformation . In 1554/55 the Order of St. John sold the parish with all its possessions to the Teutonic Order , which had also remained Catholic. Although there were a few Lutherans in the village, most of them were brought back to the old faith through efforts to re-Catholicize them.

In the 16th century Altkrautheim lost its central church function. Pastor Dominikus Reutter moved to Bergkrautheim as the city pastor in 1560. Despite the loss of importance, extensive construction work took place in 1582, when the upper part of the tower was completed and part of the current nave was built.

In 1618, the Elector of Mainz abolished the parish fund, whereupon Bergkrautheim became the parish for Altkrautheim.

It is reported from 1816 that the church was in a state of disrepair. The roof was leaking and outside walls threatened to collapse. In the description of the location from 1824, the church was described as having been well repaired , the only complaint was the damaged interior ceiling.

In 1825 Altkrautheim was given a parish again, and in 1838 a new rectory was built.

In the diocesan description of 1905 the church was described as too small and too gloomy, a renovation was urgently recommended. In the following years the church was extensively renovated. The lack of space was countered with an immense enlargement of the gallery , which completely lost the spatial effect of the church. There were numerous considerations about the structural expansion of the church, but a satisfactory solution was not found, so that the unfavorable spatial effect remained for six decades.

In 1966 a new rectory was built. The old rectory came into the possession of the community, who set up the town hall and a savings and loan fund in it.

In 1968 the architect Albert Hänle presented a convincing design for the long overdue church extension. From 1970 to 1971 the church in Altkrautheim was expanded to include a spacious, modern transept following these plans. The old tower choir became the Marien- and baptisterial chapel, in the corner of the old and new nave a spacious new altar area was created. During the construction work, the services took place in the schoolhouse.

At the same time as the church, the chapel in Unterginsbach was also rebuilt according to plans by Hänle.

literature

  • Parish Altkrautheim (ed.): 650th anniversary of the parish church of St. Johann Baptist zu Altkrautheim 1322–1972 , Altkrautheim 1972.

Web links

Coordinates: 49 ° 22 ′ 37.2 "  N , 9 ° 38 ′ 24.6"  E