Vincenz Chapel (Niederforstbach)
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The Vincenzkapelle in Niederforstbach, a district of Aachen - Brand , is a Catholic church building that is attached to the parish of St. Donatus in Aachen-Brand and belongs to the parish association of the GdG Aachen / Forst / Brand. It was built in 1756 as an "earthquake chapel" and consecrated to St. Vincent Ferrer and placed under monument protection in the 1990s .
history
After there were numerous smaller earthquakes in the Rhineland, especially in the 18th century, the residents of Niederforstbach decided to build a small local place of prayer with their own donations. To this end, the imperial abbey Kornelimünster provided them with a piece of land on one of their former feudal farms, which no longer exists today. The initially simple prayer house was not placed under a patronage until years later and consecrated to the Dominican Vincenz Ferrer, who is seen as an intercessor and helper in imminent danger.
The chapel remained in the possession of the Imperial Abbey of Kornelimünster until 1880 and was then taken over by the newly established parish of St. Donatus. Nine years later they had the first major renovation and renovation work carried out on the chapel, in the course of which it took on its present form. Around 1900 it should also be enlarged, but because the parish did not have the necessary money and not enough donations had been received, this project failed. After 1948 neighboring families took over the care inside and outside the chapel and the Niederforstbacher St. Vincenzschützen took over their sponsorship.
After the earthquake in Roermond in 1992 had also made itself felt in the Aachen area on the night from Palm Sunday to Monday , but no major damage had occurred in Niederforstbach, the Brand Citizens Association had a new votive plaque attached to the outside of the chapel to thank .
Around a hundred years after the first, another extensive renovation took place between 1999 and 2002, during which the chapel was modernized in accordance with the requirements of the monument protection with the voluntary commitment of the local residents.
Since her affiliation to the parish of St. Donatus, rosary and prayer hours for the deceased as well as baptisms and once a year on April 5th, the anniversary of St. Vincent's death, have been held in the Vincenz Chapel.
Building description
The current appearance of the chapel goes back to the first restoration in 1889, during which the almost square 5 × 5 meter building was redesigned in the neo-Gothic style. It received new facades in quarry stone construction and a gable roof covered with slate panels . In this sitting above the entrance gable a small square, coated with slate roof turret with small sound hatches on all four sides, on the spire a wrought iron cross with a golden weathercock is attached. In this roof turret there is a small bell, the origin and year of construction are uncertain. Two pointed arch windows on the side of the entrance door and one each in the rear area of the side walls as well as a round window above the entrance portal ensure the necessary exposure to daylight . The modern entrance door itself, which is reached via a rounded single-step pedestal, is rectangular, but above its lintel it is adorned by an ogival structure in which the foundation board from 1756 is attached. All door and window frames, as well as the access step, are made of sandstone .
The central eye-catcher in the interior is the 1863-built Wendelinus altar of the old parish church Brander, on the centrally above the tabernacle the intricately carved figure of St. Wendelin is on. On the side of the altar are the figures of St. Walburga and St. Barbara of Nicomedia attached.
During the last renovation work, the old bulky pews were replaced by individual knee chairs from Aachen Cathedral , and the old ceiling painting and the Wendelinus altar were fundamentally restored. In addition, the masonry was reinforced, the roof and bell tower were renewed and modern electrical lines were laid.
literature
- The Niederforstbachers built a chapel 250 years ago . In: Brand - Heimatkundliche Blätter , Volume 17 (2006), pp. 15–29
- Peter Fleck: A Spanish saint for Niederforstbach . In: Brand - Heimatkundliche Blätter , Part I. Volume 29 (2018), pages 73-104 and Part II. Volume 30 (2019), pages 164-196
Web links
- Portrait on the pages of the churches in the diocese of Aachen
- Portrait on the pages of the parish of St. Donatus
Coordinates: 50 ° 44 ′ 29.6 ″ N , 6 ° 9 ′ 19.6 ″ E