St. Peter, Syburg

Last updated
St. Peter
St Peter Syburg Front.jpg
St. Peter in 2006
North Rhine-Westphalia location map 01.svg
Red pog.svg
St. Peter
Germany adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
St. Peter
51°25′21″N07°29′24″E / 51.42250°N 7.49000°E / 51.42250; 7.49000 Coordinates: 51°25′21″N07°29′24″E / 51.42250°N 7.49000°E / 51.42250; 7.49000
Location Dortmund-Syburg, Northrhine-Westphalia
CountryGermany
Denomination Protestant
Previous denomination Catholic
Website www.syburg.de/sy-kirche-st-peter.htm
History
Consecrated 799 (799)
Architecture
Architectural type Fortified church
Style Romanesque
Completed12th century
Administration
Parish Ev. Kirche St. Peter zu Dortmund-Syburg
View from the north east St Peter Syburg Seite.jpg
View from the north east

St. Peter (also St. Peter zu Syburg) is a Romanesque church in Syburg, now a suburb of Dortmund, Germany. It is the active Protestant parish church of Syburg, officially named "Ev. Kirche St. Peter zu Dortmund-Syburg". It serves as a concert venue for the bimonthly Syburger Sonntagsmusiken (Syburg Sunday Music).

Contents

Location and significance

Standing on a rocky outcrop above the confluence of the Ruhr and the Lenne, the sandstone church is one of the most noticeable landmarks in the area. [1] It is listed as a monument by the Denkmalbehörde der Stadt Dortmund.

Ancient gravestones in the churchyard Hohensyburg St Peter gravestone.jpg
Ancient gravestones in the churchyard

The church is surrounded by a graveyard, which contains the oldest gravestones in Westphalia; three stones date back to between 750 and 850, one of which is in the church. [2]

History

In his desire for Christianization, Charlemagne conquered the strategic area in 775. The original church, described as a basilica, is documented in the Annals of Lorsch as early as 776, making it the oldest in Dortmund and probably in Westphalia. [3] Remnants of the simple rectangular wooden building are now under examination. The neighbouring castle of Hohensyburg, taken the same year by the Saxons, was liberated by Pope Leo III in 799. In the presence of Charlemagne and other dignitaries, the Pope dedicated the church to St. Peter, the patron saint of the Carolingians. At the same time, Syburg was given pilgrimage rights associated with the feast of St. Mark on 25 April and was allowed to hold a two-week market associated with the feast. [2] [4] The pilgrims were attracted by the many relics in the church, including a silver skull of St. Barbara. [5]

The present-day building dates from the 12th century. [6] It was built around 1100 with a flat ceiling and was a Wehrkirche (Fortified church). The tower, still standing today, was built in the 13th century. The church was an important medieval pilgrimage site. The church was damaged by fire in 1673 during the Franco-Dutch War leading to the destruction of the Romanesque apse. Replacing the apse, the chancel was built in 1688 with pointed windows in the Gothic style. [2] [4]

In the spring of 1945, at the end of World War II, the church was badly damaged by a bomb which completely destroyed the nave. It was rebuilt, together with section of the chancel, from 1953 to 1954. During excavations in 1950–51, 1976–77 and 1983, foundations of a Romanesque apse and a square building from the time of Charlemagne were found. [4]

Furnishings and fittings

The fort-like look of the church in the mid-19th century (artist unknown) Dortmund-Syburg St.Peter-Pfarrkirche.jpg
The fort-like look of the church in the mid-19th century (artist unknown)

After the Reformation, the Protestant pastor Luerman destroyed everything in the church associated with Catholicism. As a result, it is difficult to trace the building's history until 1580. The simple cross in white Carrara marble, the oldest artefact in the church, can therefore be dated to the end of the 16th century. The cross can now be seen on the first floor of the defensive tower. [4]

In the 1950s, the church was furnished with stained glass windows by Walter Benner  [ de ]: a window depicting St. Barbara is in the tower while the three in the chancel show scenes from the life of St. Peter. The sculptor Bernhard Kleinhans  [ de ] (1926–2004) created the bronze figures of St. Peter and his wife whose existence is based on the story of Christ's healing of Peter's mother-in-law in Matthew, Chapter 18. The bronze cross on the altar with its enamel decoration is the work of Egino Weinert  [ de ] from Cologne. [1]

The church is the setting for a novel by Gertrud von Le Fort, Spökenkieken. Eine Liebesgeschichte rund um die Kirche St. Peter zu Syburg und Haus Villigst.

Music

A new organ was built in 1998 by the firm Claus Sebastian (Geesthacht). Since then, the church has served as a concert venue for the bi-monthly Syburger Sonntagsmusiken (Syburg Sunday Music) of organ music, chamber music and vocal music. [7] On an initiative of Willi Gundlach, conductor of the Kammerchor der Universität Dortmund (chamber choir of the University of Dortmund), guest artists have included Martin Blindow, who played the first concert at the new organ on 10 May 1998, the Alsfelder Vokalensemble, conducted by Wolfgang Helbich, organist Heinz Wunderlich, and the VokalEnsemble Köln, conducted by Max Ciolek. [7] The 100th concert was given in 2012. [8] The regular event in December is called Offenes Kantatensingen (Open cantata singing) and featured in 2012 Bach's cantata Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40 . [9] In 2016, Georg Poplutz performed Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin , accompanied by a guitar duo.

Literature

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mainz Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Mainz, Germany

Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany. This 1000-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is the site of the episcopal see of the Bishop of Mainz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syberg</span> Mountain in Germany

The Syberg is a hill in the Ruhr in the southern part of Dortmund, 240 m above sea level (NN), which is part of the Ardey Hills. The Syberg is home to the Sigiburg, the Vincke Tower, a monument to Emperor William I and other points of interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unionskirche, Idstein</span> Protestant church in Idstein, Germany

The Unionskirche is the active Protestant parish church of Idstein, a town in the Rheingau-Taunus district in the German state of Hesse. Idstein was a residence of the counts of Nassau. The church building in the center of the historic Altstadt dates back to the 14th century when it was built as a collegiate church. It became Lutheran during the Reformation. Its interior was adapted in the 17th century to become a Lutheran Predigt- und Hofkirche. The most prominent decoration in the church is the series of 38 paintings by the Flemish painter Michael Angelo Immenraedt, an exponent of Flemish Baroque painting, and others. They follow a program of biblical scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Joachim Schliep</span>

Hans Joachim Schliep is a German Lutheran theologian, pastor and author. From 1990 to 1999 he was director of the Amt für Gemeindedienst, and by May 2000 the commissioner for the environment of the Church of Hanover and the Confederation of Protestant Churches in Lower Saxony. From 1999 to 2008 Schliep was the first pastor at the Kronsberg Church Centre and founder of the congregation at the Expo-neighbourhood in Kronsberg, Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neustädter Kirche, Hanover</span> Church in Hanover, Germany

The New Town Church is a main Lutheran parish church in Hanover, Germany. The official name is Neustädter Hof- und Stadtkirche St. Johannis zu Hannover. The Baroque church was built in 1666–70. It is one of the oldest Protestant Saalkirchen in Lower Saxony, conceived for the sermon as the main act of the Lutheran church service. Mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Field Marshal Carl August von Alten are buried here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Severin, Keitum</span> Church in Keitum, Germany

St. Severin is a Lutheran parish church in Keitum on the island of Sylt, northern Germany. It was named after the 4th-century bishop Severin of Cologne. Built in the Romanesque style and first documented in 1240, the church stands back from the town at a higher elevation. Tests have shown that the roof of the church can be dated to 1216, making it the oldest religious building in Schleswig-Holstein. The tower was built around 1450 and served as a navigation mark for seafarers as well as a prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Cross Church, Lehre</span> Church in Lehre, Germany

The Holy Cross Church is a church located in the town of Lehre, Germany. It is currently a Lutheran church and part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick, which owns around 480 churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Hisgen</span> German painter

Daniel Hisgen was a German painter of the rococo period who worked as a church painter in Upper Hesse, specializing on cycles of paintings decorating the front of the gallery parapet in churches with an upper gallery. His discreet cycles demonstrate the modest prominence expected of Lutheran art in German churches of his day, taking a middle route between the large and prominent images in Catholic churches, and the complete absence of images in Calvinist ones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marienkirche, Dortmund</span> Church in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Marienkirche is a church in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germany, located in the inner city. Since the Reformation, it has been a Lutheran parish church of St. Marien. The church was destroyed in World War II, but rebuilt. It also serves as a concert venue for sacred music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neanderkirche</span> Church in Düsseldorf, Germany

The Neanderkirche is a Protestant church in the centre of Düsseldorf, the Altstadt. The building in early Baroque style was completed in 1687 and later named after the Reformed minister and hymn writer Joachim Neander. It is now a parish church of the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Düsseldorf-Mitte. In 1965, a Rieger organ was installed, which is also used for a series of summer concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Rosenkranz, Frankfurt</span> Church in Hesse, Germany

Maria Rosenkranz is a Catholic church in Frankfurt-Seckbach, part of Frankfurt am Main. It was completed in 1953. On 1 January 2015 the parish became a Kirchort, part of the parish St. Josef Frankfurt am Main. The parish church of the Seckbach congregation is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heilig Geist, Frankfurt</span> Church in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Heilig Geist is the name of a Catholic church in the suburb Riederwald of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany. The parish church of the Riederwald congregation is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg. On 1 January 2015 the parish became a Kirchort, part of the parish St. Josef, Frankfurt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Church (Bad Homburg)</span>

The English Church is a former Church of England church building in the German city of Bad Homburg in Hesse. It is listed as a historic monument and now houses a cultural centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Michaelis, Lüneburg</span> Church in Lower Saxony, Germany

St. Michaelis is one of the main churches in Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. It was first an abbey church of the former monastery of Benedictines, built from 1376 in brick Gothic style. It became Lutheran during the Reformation. Johann Sebastian Bach was for two years a pupil at the school of St. Michaelis.

Willi Gundlach is a German choral conductor and academic. He taught at the music department of the Technical University of Dortmund. He researched and edited works by Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn. He founded and conducted a chamber choir at the university and recorded with them, including operas for the Kurt Weill Foundation. After his retirement from teaching, he cofounded and organised a concert series at St. Peter, Syburg, including organ concerts and vocal concerts with notable performers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erlöserkirche, Munich</span> Oldest Lutheran church in Schwabing

The Erlöserkirche is the oldest Lutheran church in Schwabing, part of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The full name is Evangelisch-Lutherische Erlöserkirche. It was built from 1899 to 1901 on a design by Theodor Fischer, in a style combining historicism and Jugendstil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protestant Church Wilnsdorf</span> Church in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

The Protestant Church in Wilnsdorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, was completed in 1913. It has been the main church for merged parishes from 2010. The official name of the new parish is Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirchengemeinde Rödgen-Wilnsdorf, The parish is part of the Kirchenkreis Siegen in North Rhine Westphalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Peter's Church (Cologne)</span> Church in Cologne

St Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, run by the Jesuits. The painter Rubens was baptised in the church and his The Crucifixion of St Peter is on display there – it was commissioned in 1638 by the Cologne art collector and businessman Eberhard Jabach. The building also houses the 'Kunst-Station Sankt Peter', a centre for contemporary art, music and literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Martin, Sindelfingen</span> Lutheran church in Württemberg, Germany

The Martinskirche is the Lutheran main church in Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was built in Romanesque style as a basilica with a flat wooden ceiling, then part of a monastery. Today, the church is also a venue of church music events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syburg</span> Borough of Dortmund in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Syburg is a borough (Stadtbezirk) of the city of Dortmund in the Ruhr district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since 1929, it has been a borough of Dortmund, located in the city's south. It is part of the Hörde district.

References

  1. 1 2 "Die romanische Kirke St. Peter zu Syburg" (in German). Ev. Kirchengemeinde Syburg – Holzen – Auf dem Höchsten. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Kuhlmann, Willi (1989). "Hohensyburg – Die Kirche St. Peter" (in German). Syburg (Dortmund-Syburg). Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Aleweld, Norbert (1989). Der Sakralbau im Kreis Iserlohn vom Klassizismus bis zum Ende des Historismus (in German). Freunde der Burg Altena. p. 87. ISBN   978-3-923262-03-8 . Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Otworowski, Peter (1989). St. Peter in Syburg – die älteste Kirche Westfalens (PDF) (in German). martin-grohmann.info. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Ein Spaziergang durch Hohensyburg", SPD-Ortsvereins Syburg/Buchholz. (in German) Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "St. Peter zu Syburg". Baudenkmale im Ruhrgebiet. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Syburger Sonntagsmusiken / ...eine Konzertreihe in der Ev. Kirche St. Peter zu Dortmund-Syburg / Archive" (in German). syburger-sonntagsmusiken.de. 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Meier, Susanne (5 March 2012). "Sieben Leben für die Musik". derwesten.de (in German). Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "14. Offenes Kantatensingen" (in German). syburger-sonntagsmusiken.de. 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.