Castle Church St. Marien - Mainau, Germany
Posted by: 
holy-ghost
N 47° 42.280 E 009° 11.970
32T E 514966 N 5283495
Baroque Castle Church St. Marien on the Isle of Mainau, Germany.
Waymark Code: WM6GV6
Location: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Date Posted: 06/02/2009
Views: 25
The total work of art of the St. Marien castle church initiated the triumphant advance of the baroque period at Lake Constance. After the step-by-step demolition of the old fortifications, the planning permission for a new church on the Mainau was given by the provincial superior of Alsace-Burgundy, province of the Teutonic Order, in the year 1732. Johann Caspar Bagnato (1696–1757) was commissioned to plan and direct the activities.
The collapsing of the choir vault and the Polish War of Succession resulted in an interruption of the project. But in December 1739 the church was finally consecrated by the suffragan of Constance, Graf Fugger von Kirchberg and Wiesenborn.
The castle church is the first work of Bagnato, followed by many other church buildings. Compared to other churches of those days, St. Marien represents a progressive prototype and distinguishes itself by the fusion of choir and aisle. So it was possible to do justice to both the commander´s desire for representation and the religious fervor of that time. The church hall is 20 meters long and 9.5 meters wide. Its main furnishings, high altar, side altars, pulpit and sculptures, were created by Joseph Anton Feuchtmayer (1696–1770). He ranks among the greatest baroque sculptors of south-western Germany.
Ceiling frescos and high altar painting by Franz Joseph Spiegler are devoted to the life of the Virgin Mary. The rich stucco work by Francesco Pozzi is more than just decoration: it steers the gaze to the heavenly area of the choir room and high altar. The church is a total work of art that testifies to both religious feeling of the time and the wish for representation of the Teutonic Order.
The organ built by master Johann Michael Bihler of Constance and decorated by Feuchtmayer was sold in 1823. In 1860 it was replaced by a new organ in late classical style. A present of a special kind was given to Count Lennart for his 90th birthday on May 8, 1999: a new Lucia bell for the belfry of the castle church St. Marien. The bell weighs 900 kg and was manufactured in a copper-tin-bronze alloy by the Bell and Art Foundry, Karlsruhe. The front shows a medallion of the Swedish patron saint and Queen of Lights Lucia. The back of the bell mantle is decorated with the coat of arms of the Bernadotte family.
(source: www.mainau.de)
Type of Church: Church
Status of Building: Actively in use for worship
Dominant Architectural Style: Baroque
Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Baroque
Archdiocese: Freiburg
Diocese: Freiburg
Address/Location:
Island Mainau
Constance, Germany
78465
Relvant Web Site: [Web Link]
Date of organization: Not listed
Date of building construction: Not listed
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