Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Speyer)

About

The Dreifaltigkeitskirche (English: Trinity Church) is a late Baroque, Protestant parish church in Speyer, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Since 1988 it has been a cultural asset worthy of protection within the meaning of Article 1 of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Historical background of the church building and its sister church Heiliggeistkirche

In 1689, the town of Speyer was destroyed by order of Louis XIV of France in the Nine Years' War. Since the Reformation, its citizens had been predominantly Lutherans and, to a lesser extent, Reformed Christians. The inhabitants fled via the Rhine, many of them to Frankfurt, as the whole Electoral Palatinate was also destroyed between Speyer and Heidelberg. Only ten years later, in 1698, did some of the inhabitants return.

The small Reformed congregation began the first new church building, the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), in 1700–1702.

In the winter of 1700/01, the Lutheran congregation cleared away the ruins of the 1689 destruction. The foundation work began in April, so that the foundation stone for the Trinity Church was laid on 22 April 1701.

A few days later, the city council laid a second foundation stone, which was accompanied by the Lutheran Church Order of 1700 and the Augsburg Confession of 1530, as well as a pewter tablet stating that "after the barbaric destruction of the city by Gallic hands, this church was built for the glory of God and to adorn the city".

The foundation of the Trinity Church was laid in 1701 by the master builder Johann Peter Graber. The brickwork was built between 1701 and 1703 by the Italian master bricklayer Paul Bagnato, who in German called himself "Paul Naß". In autumn 1703 the War of the Spanish Succession threatened the city of Speyer. Therefore, it was decided on 17 October 1703 to move the services of the Lutheran congregation from the Gottesackerkirche (cemetery church) in front of the town gates to the still unfinished Dreifaltigkeitskirche within the town walls.

From 1704 the construction of wooden galleries began. However, the construction work inside the church continued until 1717 due to lack of money. The organ was commissioned from the Mainz organ builder Johann Anton Ignaz Will in 1715 and was installed at the beginning of 1717.

On 31 October 1717, the day of the 200th anniversary of the Reformation, the Trinity Church was solemnly inaugurated.

In 1792 Speyer was conquered by French revolutionary troops. On the second day of Christmas 1793 the last service took place in the Trinity Church. Then the church was plundered, the church vessels had to be delivered, the bells and organ pipes were removed, so that the building finally no longer contained any metal. In the final phase of Napoleonic military campaigns, the church was used as a military hospital for wounded soldiers, and only from 1814 did church services resume.

Already in the second half of the 18th century the first rapprochements between Reformed and Lutherans took place. Experiences during the French Revolution reinforced the rapprochement. On 31 October 1817 the Reformed congregation in Speyer decided to rename its church "Church of the Holy Spirit". From then on the church served the united Protestant community.

This happened one year before the actual Union of Churches in the Palatinate. In a survey of about 130,000 Reformed and 108,000 Lutheran Protestants in the parishes of the Palatinate, 40,167 voted for the Union, only 539 against. In the Palatinate, a general synod of Lutheran and Reformed congregations met in Kaiserslautern from 16 August 1818 to determine a common creed. On 1 Advent 1818 (29 November 1818) a union was formed, which was celebrated with a solemn joint divine service.

Until the completion of the Gedächtniskirche ( Memorial Church ) in 1904, the Trinity Church remained the main Protestant church in Speyer. From 1904 the church services took place only during the winter half-year in the Trinity Church, because the Gedächtniskirche was not heated in winter until 1965 and therefore served only as a summer church.

In 1979 regular church services were stopped in the Heiliggeistkirche. The church services regularly take place only in the Trinity Church.

In 1689, the town of Speyer was destroyed by order of Louis XIV of France in the Nine Years' War. Since the Reformation, its citizens had been predominantly Lutherans and, to a lesser extent, Reformed Christians. The inhabitants fled via the Rhine, many of them to Frankfurt, as the whole Electoral Palatinate was also destroyed between Speyer and Heidelberg. Only ten years later, in 1698, did some of the inhabitants return.

The small Reformed congregation began the first new church building, the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), in 1700–1702.

In the winter of 1700/01, the Lutheran congregation cleared away the ruins of the 1689 destruction. The foundation work began in April, so that the foundation stone for the Trinity Church was laid on 22 April 1701.

A few days later, the city council laid a second foundation stone, which was accompanied by the Lutheran Church Order of 1700 and the Augsburg Confession of 1530, as well as a pewter tablet stating that "after the barbaric destruction of the city by Gallic hands, this church was built for the glory of God and to adorn the city".

The foundation of the Trinity Church was laid in 1701 by the master builder Johann Peter Graber. The brickwork was built between 1701 and 1703 by the Italian master bricklayer Paul Bagnato, who in German called himself "Paul Naß". In autumn 1703 the War of the Spanish Succession threatened the city of Speyer. Therefore, it was decided on 17 October 1703 to move the services of the Lutheran congregation from the Gottesackerkirche (cemetery church) in front of the town gates to the still unfinished Dreifaltigkeitskirche within the town walls.

From 1704 the construction of wooden galleries began. However, the construction work inside the church continued until 1717 due to lack of money. The organ was commissioned from the Mainz organ builder Johann Anton Ignaz Will in 1715 and was installed at the beginning of 1717.