St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Wissembourg

St. Peter and St. Paul's Church (French: Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul) of Wissembourg is frequently, but incorrectly, referred to as the second largest Gothic church of Alsace after Strasbourg Cathedral. However, the building, with its interior ground superficy of 1320 m² (60 x 22 m) most probably is the second largest Gothic church in Bas-Rhin. The former abbey church (abbatiale) of Wissembourg's famous Benedictine abbey now serves as the main Roman Catholic parish church of the town.

The church displays a Romanesque bell tower, the sole remain of the church built in the 11th century under the direction of abbot Samuel, and is thus a station on the Route Romane d'Alsace. The major part of the currently visible church is the work of builders under the command of abbot Edelin, in the late 13th century. During the 14th and 15th century, the church was richly decorated with stained glass, sculptures and mural paintings but only parts of of the former abundance of works have survive the desecration during the French Revolution; of the surviving stained glass, what is not seen in the church itself can be found in Strasbourg's Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame. The 6 m (20 ft) wide Romanesque crown chandelier representing the celestial Jerusalem and for which Wissembourg had been famous was also lost during that period; the currently visible chandelier is a 19th century work.

The church contains a fresco representing Saint Christopher: with its height of 11 m (36 ft), it is the largest painted human figure on French territory.

Among the church's remaining treasures features a pipe organ of 1766 in one of the largest baroque organ cases in Alsace, the instrument however is barely playable nowadays. Another organ, in the transept, was installed in 1953 in a design typical of its time.

An spacious and ornate but unfinished 15th century cloister in Late Gothic style and an adjacent Romanesque Chapter house (12th century) now serving as a lateral chapel are the only other remains of the monastery where Otfrid of Weissenburg once studied and taught.

Gallery

References

External links

  • Media related to St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Wissembourg at Wikimedia Commons
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Hope Arenas
21 November 2014
This little city is adorable but since everything is closed on Sunday we only got a small taste. I'd like to come back in the summer when it is likely bustling with people.
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