Franciscan Church

The Franciscan Church, known locally as Franziskanerkirche, is a stunning historical gem nestled in the heart of Wetzlar, Hessen, Germany. This early Gothic monastic church, part of the former Franciscan monastery, is a testament to the rich religious and cultural history of the region. Today, it stands as a cherished cultural monument, reflecting its historical, artistic, and urban significance.

A Journey Through Time

The Franciscan presence in Wetzlar dates back to 1248, with the first documented mention of a convent in 1269. By 1278, the Franciscans had established their monastery, referred to as claustrum Minorum fratrum. Around 1300, they constructed the church north of the monastery complex, over the Wetzbach stream, which flowed beneath the altar. This swampy terrain was only made suitable for construction at the end of the 13th century. The monastery’s cloister, cells, and utility buildings were located south of the church. The convent was part of the Custody of Trier in the Cologne province of the Franciscan order.

With the advent of the Reformation in 1542, the monastery fell into decline, housing only nine brothers. The Augsburg Religious Peace of 1555 led to the dissolution of the monastery, and the site became a Latin school. The church transitioned to Lutheran services, and in 1586, the long choir was allocated to 60 Walloon refugee families from the Spanish Netherlands, who held Reformed services in French. The main nave hosted Lutheran services without any structural separation.

During the Thirty Years' War, the Franciscans briefly regained control of the church in 1626, but by 1649, they had left Wetzlar. Lutheran services resumed in 1650, and in 1656, the Reformed congregation reclaimed their privileges and returned to the choir. By 1675, the Franciscans were using the west and south wings of the monastery and the main nave for Catholic services, prompting the Reformed community to separate the choir from the nave with a timber-framed wall. The choir remained Reformed, known as the Lower City Church, while the main nave became Catholic.

Architectural Evolution

The Franciscan Church, constructed from white-plastered rubble stone, is an early Gothic hall church. Originally, the five-bay nave was likely asymmetrically two-aisled, with a three-bay choir featuring a polygonal apse. The western choir bay was expanded with a transept to the north. By 1737, the church had become a three-aisled structure, with baroque side aisles still intact. Following the demolition of the cloister in 1720 or 1737, a southern side aisle was added. True to the mendicant order tradition, the church had no tower, only a roof rider on the nave.

Various modifications over the centuries have altered the church's appearance, particularly the west section, which now serves as a music school. The north and west perimeter walls with stepped buttresses remain, as does the green-painted aedicule portal from 1723, featuring the Franciscan symbol of two crossed arms with stigmata, framed by a knotted cord and surrounded by foliage. The interior is lit by double windows in three zones, with simple rectangular windows on the west side. A rectangular stair tower with beveled corners and a baroque hipped roof was added in 1876/1877, incorporating another floor and removing the central nave vaults.

A Rich Tapestry of Uses

The church's uses have varied dramatically over the centuries. After its desecration in 1820, the nave became a provision and salt warehouse, later an archive for the Reich Chamber Court records, and then a barracks for the 8th Rhineland Jäger Battalion. Between 1877 and 1925, it housed an evangelical elementary school, followed by extensive renovations in 1898. The church survived World War II with minimal damage, and post-war, it served as a prison for American troops before becoming a vocational school until 1967, when it was repurposed as a music school.

The Lower City Church and Modern Renovations

The eastern choir, known as the Lower City Church, underwent significant renovations from 1979 to 1983, removing 18th-century elements like the choir wall, pulpit, and second-floor gallery. Further interior renovations of the music school and ceiling renewals took place in 1989. To fund ongoing restoration efforts, the Preservation of the Lower City Church campaign began in 2013, leading to the establishment of the Friends of the Lower City Church association in 2014. In 2019, the roof truss underwent comprehensive restoration.

Today, the Lower City Church is part of the Evangelical Parish of Wetzlar, within the Evangelical Church District of Lahn and Dill in the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland. It hosts weekly devotions and cultural events, continuing its legacy as a vibrant community hub.

Architectural and Artistic Highlights

The church's architecture features a choir polygon with cross-ribbed vaults supported by consoles, with a keystone depicting a lion and a lamb, symbolizing Christ. The northern transept entrance boasts a baroque shell portal with a broken pediment and leaf ornaments. The choir is illuminated by two-lane tracery windows with trefoils in the arch fields. The 1723 roof rider houses a bell cast by Johann Peter Bach in 1768, topped with a 1952 gilded weathercock.

The interior, renovated in the early 1980s, is minimalist, with eight 18th-century Lahn marble gravestones commemorating Reformed individuals associated with the Chamber Court. The 1820 classicist gallery, now single-story, is supported by round columns with square bases and capitals, painted white with gilded profiles. The west gallery holds the organ, and the red sandstone floor is elevated by three steps in the liturgical area.

The Franciscan Church, with its rich history and architectural beauty, offers a unique glimpse into Wetzlar's past. Whether you're a history enthusiast, architecture lover, or cultural explorer, this remarkable site promises a captivating experience.