St. Suitbertus (Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth)

Basilica with Stiftsplatz from the south-east

The basilica from the southwest

Interior, view of the choir

Interior, view to the west (organ)

The former collegiate church and today's parish church of St. Suitbertus is a flat-roofed three-aisled pillar basilica in the Kaiserswerth district of Düsseldorf . The parish of the same name belongs to the Catholic parish community of Angerland / Kaiserswerth.

history

On the site of the previous building, the St. Petrus Monastery Church from the beginning of the 8th century, the St. Suitbert Collegiate Church was built from tuff from around 1050 . It was built in two different style epochs: the nave is late Romanesque , while the choir, consecrated in 1237, already clearly shows Gothic elements. In 1264 the bones of the saints Suitbertus and Willeicus († around 726) were transferred here, and today the richly decorated Suitbertus shrine from this period is one of the few pieces that have remained from the once extensive church treasury.

The basilica originally consisted of a west tower, a transept and three apses . In 1243 the west tower was demolished due to military reasons, but promises were made to rebuild it.

Floor plan showing the additions from the 19th century (hatching)

From then on, the church was renovated twice, once in 1717, where only the damage that had occurred over the years was repaired, and the second time from 1870. The second renovation lasted from 1870 to 1877 In the process, not only were the destroyed parts rebuilt, but the basilica was also enlarged and the promise made in 1243 was kept and two new west towers were built.

The basilica was flooded several times due to its location directly on the Rhine, but no major damage occurred. The towers of the basilica were then destroyed during the Second World War, so that only a smaller bell tower remains today.

A vestibule from the beginning of the 13th century and the sacristy are attached to the main building on the north side . The small steel bell cage dates from 1951. Between 1948 and 1955, the Aachen-born artist Walter Benner designed the choir windows.

The towers, which were partially destroyed in the Second World War, were not restored, but replaced by a roof turret. Around 1990 the choir was given back its medieval colors from the 13th century.

In 1967 the church was given by Pope Paul VI. the honorary title of Basilica minor . The Church of St. Suitbertus was the second oldest monastery in the large Archdiocese of Cologne and one of the Christian outposts against the pagan Sachsenland.

organ

The organ on the west gallery of the Suitbertus basilica was built between 1975 and 1976 by the Rudolf von Beckerath Orgelbau company (Hamburg). The instrument has 39 registers (2,712 pipes ) on slider chests . The Spieltrakturen are mechanically, the Registertrakturen electrically. In view of the excellent acoustics in the basilica, the instrument can be used to create cathedral-like sounds.

I Hauptwerk C – g ³
1.	Dumped	16 ′
2.	Principal	8th'
3.	Playing flute	8th'
4th	octave	4 ′
5.	Pointed flute	4 ′
6th	Nasat	2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′
7th	octave	2 ′
8th.	third	1 ³ ⁄ ₅  ′
9.	Mixture VI
10.	Trumpet	8th'
	Tremulant

II Rückpositiv C – g ³
11.	Dumped	8th'
12.	Principal	4 ′
13.	Reed flute	4 ′
14th	Gemshorn	2 ′
15th	Larigot	1 ¹ ⁄ ₃  ′
16.	Seventh	1 ¹ ⁄ ₇  ′
17th	Sesquialtera II	2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′
18th	Sharp IV
19th	Cromorne	8th'
	Tremulant

III Swell C – g ³
20th	Wooden dacked	8th'
21st	Gemshorn	8th'
22nd	Beat	8th'
23.	Wooden principal	4 ′
24.	Forest flute	2 ′
25th	Sif flute	1'
26th	Beats III
27.	Zimbel III
28.	shelf	16 ′
29	oboe	8th'
30th	Clairon	4 ′
	Tremulant

Pedal C – g ¹
31.	Principal	16 ′
32.	octave	8th'
33.	Dumped	8th'
34.	Open flute	4 ′
35.	Night horn	2 ′
36.	Mixture V
37.	trombone	16 ′
38.	Trumpet	8th'
39.	Trumpet	4 ′

Coupling : II / I, III / I, III / II, I / P, II / P, III / P
Playing aids : 6-fold setting system

Bells

The bells of St. Suitbertus in Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth
No.	Surname	Casting year	Foundry, casting location	Diameter (mm)	Mass (kg)	Chime
1	Maria	1705	Johann Peter Edel, Strasbourg	1071	750	f sharp '−9
2	Willeicus			970	500	g sharp '−9
3	Gertrudis			860	350	ais' −9

Surroundings

The Suitbertus Gymnasium is located directly at the basilica as a co-educational school sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cologne .

literature

Walter Sölter : The Church of St. Suitbertus in Kaiserswerth. Contribution to building history. Dissertation from July 31, 1962, Berlin 1962
Celebration of the 1150th anniversary in honor of Saint Suitbertus zu Kaiserswerth, from June 30th to July 7th, 1867 . Klein, Crefeld 1867. Digitized edition of the University and State Library Düsseldorf
Seven ceremonial speeches on the seven holy sacraments: at the 1125th anniversary celebrated in July 1842 in Kaiserswerth for the veneration of Saint Suitbertus, held by pastors of the Deanery Düsseldorf . Roschütz, Düsseldorf 1843 ( digitized edition )