St. Peter’s Protestant Church

Medieval agony of the soul

The oldest parts of St. Peter’s Church are the three tower storeys structured with pilaster strips and round arch friezes. This is not the only reason why there is an art-historical connection with Worms Cathedral.

The same applies to the architectural elements preserved in Kirchheimbolanden: a male figure rides a toad-like animal (demon rider) on the south-eastern edge of the tower and a lion’s head and a defensive mask can be found on two consoles on the eastern façade.

This is by no means a mere architectural gimmick, but an expression of the irrational threats to which people of the 12th century were often exposed.

“Home by the church”

Kirchheim was first mentioned in a document in the 8th century – on December 28, 774 to be precise. At that time, Wulfrich donated farmsteads, vineyards and forests in Kirchheim marca to Lorsch Monastery for his salvation.

However, the “Heim” (village) near the church had probably already existed for some time at this time, as “Heim” place names are typical for a settlement between 450 and 600.

The Remigius Church, named after Bishop Remigius of Reims (around 436-533), one of the three Frankish imperial saints, which already existed in Frankish times on the site of the later St. Peter’s Church, also refers to this period.

There are further documentary mentions of “Kirchheim” from the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1370, the village of Kirchheim, which had been elevated to a town two years earlier, is mentioned as Kirchheim by Bolanden. By Bolanden, which points to the grandmotherly origins of the then lord of the town, Count Heinrich II von Sponheim, from the Lords of Bolanden, who were politically influential as imperial ministers in the Hohenstaufen period (second half of the 12th and first half of the 13th century)

Although St. Peter’s Church was located on the northern edge of the new city walls, the old Kirchheimboland settlement area was fully integrated into the new urban development area with the adjoining suburb above the Oberes Tor gate [Standort 19].

St. Peter’s Church thus also marks the center of the Franconian village of Kirchheim.

Count Henry II of Sponheim (reigned 1350-1393)

The 14th century was a time of territorial expansion. It was not only larger dominions – especially the electoral ones – that became increasingly powerful. The same applied to smaller and smallest territories. As these often emerged from inheritance divisions, they often only lasted for a short period of time.

One example is Count Henry II of Sponheim (reigned 1350-1393). He profited in particular from the decline of the House of Bolanden. He came into possession of Kirchheim through a series of partial purchases over several stages and years.

This was followed by the acquisition of the town charter in 1368. Kirchheim thus became the central location in Henry’s territory, which was soon known as the Lordship of Kirchheim. This is why the count also chose St. Peter’s Church as his burial place. The tomb slabs are unfortunately lost, but have survived in 17th century drawings, including that of Count Heinrich, who died in 1393.

Even in the subsequent Nassau-Saarbrück period of Kirchheimbolanden, St. Peter’s Church was once again the royal burial place for Count Adolf (died 1559) – his coat of arms is shown on the coat of arms plaque on the town hall – and his wife Anastasia (died 1558).

And finally, the reformed Princess Caroline von Nassau-Weilburg was also buried here in 1787, although she was later transferred to St. Paul’s Church.

Catholic – Lutheran – Reformed – Uniate

St. Peter’s Church is a reflection of denominational history since the Middle Ages.

Catholic until the Reformation, it became Lutheran in the mid-16th century, reformed (Calvinist) with the construction of St. Paul’s Church, the new Lutheran church, and united as a result of the unification of the two Protestant confessions in 1817/18.

This development in the history of the denomination is no longer immediately visible in today’s church interior.