St. Laurentius (Altdorf near Nuremberg)

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St. Laurentius (Altdorf near Nuremberg)

Basic data
Denomination Evangelical Lutheran
place Altdorf near Nuremberg , Germany
Regional church Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
dedication Lawrence of Rome
Building description
Architectural style Gothic , baroque
Construction type three-aisled basilica
Function and title

Deanery Church in the Evangelical Lutheran Deanery Altdorf

Coordinates 49 ° 23 '8.7 "  N , 11 ° 21' 19.1"  E Coordinates: 49 ° 23 '8.7 "  N , 11 ° 21' 19.1"  E
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria

The St. Laurentius Church is the Evangelical Lutheran town church of Altdorf (near Nuremberg) and the deanery church in the Altdorf deanery . Centrally located in the old town, it shapes the appearance of the Middle Franconian city. Erected in the 14th century as a three-aisled, Gothic basilica , the church building was largely rebuilt by 1755 and provided with baroque elements.

history

The history of the church building in Altdorf goes back to a Franconian royal court in what is now the city. There was in the 8th / 9th The first sacred building was built in the 14th century, which in the Altdorf deed of foundation of 1439 is called “sant Mertinis capellen auff dem kirchoff”, i.e. Martin's chapel. With the town elevation of Altdorf in 1387 and the new self-image of the young town, a representative church was built in the form of a Gothic three-aisled basilica. The completion of the new Laurentiuskirche could be celebrated in 1407. The oldest evidence of this building still preserved is the oldest bell in Altdorf, which was cast in Nuremberg in 1370. After several changes of ownership, Altdorf came to the Elector Ruprecht II of the Palatinate in 1393 . From 1400, the University of Heidelberg had the right of patronage over the Altdorf Church. The rector had the sole right to fill the pastor's position. With the other two parishes of the university, St. Jakob in Lauda and St. Peter zu Heidelberg , St. Laurentius was directly subordinate to the Holy See at this time and was administered by the papal representative at the Heidelberg University, Heilmann von Wattenheim († 1411) . This legal status was maintained until 1526, when the city of Nuremberg acquired the patronage rights of the church from Heidelberg University.

The Reformation entered Altdorf in 1527 with pastor Andreas Flamm. The oldest recorded entry from May 13, 1554 is in the parish's baptismal register.

inside view

With the establishment of the University of Altdorf on June 29, 1623, St. Laurentius became the university church of one of the most important German Protestant universities in the 17th century. By 1809 almost all Protestant pastors in Bavaria were trained in Altdorf and a total of 1,100 Protestant clergy were ordained in the Laurentiuskirche . Printed matter written in Altdorf, such as theological writings, Altdorf Bible editions, as well as the Altdorf hymn books David harp and song table, were distributed throughout Germany. From the end of the 17th century, an increase in the population and the desire of the university led to building measures in the interior and on the entire church. Between 1692 and 1694 galleries were built for the professors and students, and in 1715 the city treasurer Blantsching donated a baroque high altar . Extensive construction work was carried out from 1753 to 1755. A cartridge with the three coats of arms of Nuremberg and those of the patrician families Tucher , Holzschuher , Welser , Oelhafen , Pfinzing and Ebner was attached to the former rector's seat . The nave was replaced by a new nave designed by Johann Hofmann and the tower was extended to its current height. In 1754 the church was given a baptismal font made of Bauderschem marble (also Altdorf marble). The restored church was consecrated on December 15, 1755.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Altdorf University was dissolved and incorporated into the Erlangen University. The church lost its status as a university church. From 1893, the church restoration association at that time endeavored to preserve and renovate the church. The altar and the stalls were restored, the organ and the roof renewed. From 1894 to 1896 colored choir windows in neo-Gothic style were installed. Fundamental interior and exterior renovations took place in the 20th century. So in 1958 an attempt was made to restore the baroque character of the room. Between 1983 and 1986 the interior was painted light and the floor was replaced. This now consists of Solnhofen slabs .

The building is designated by the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments as an architectural monument (D-5-74-112-82) and ground monument (D-5-6634-0090).

organ

Organ prospectus with Rückpositiv

The organ's monument prospectus from 1727 was made by the Nuremberg organ builder Adam Ernst Reichard . In 1895 it was changed slightly by Johannes Strebel when the instrument was rebuilt . He built a two-manual organ with 24 registers in this case. Orgelbau Steinmeyer rebuilt this instrument in 1958 and expanded it to three manuals and 30 registers.

Web links

Commons : St. Laurentius  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Sources and literature

Interior view around 1710, engraving by Johann Georg Puschner

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Website on the parish church of St. Jakob in Lauda
  2. ^ Website of the Peterskirche Heidelberg, with mention of the patronage of the university
  3. ^ Website on the history of the Laurentiuskirche Altdorf
  4. ^ Johann Friedrich Hautz: History of the University of Heidelberg , Mannheim, 1862, Volume 1, Pages 229 and 230; Scan from the source of the parishes of the University of Heidelberg looked after on behalf of the papal