Hirsau Church

About

The Hirsau Church (German: Hirsauer Kirche or Hirsau Chapel (Hirsauer Kapelle) is an old church near Offenbach-Hundheim in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It lies about 500 metres downstream of Hundheim on the River Glan, was built in the early 12th century and was consecrated by St. Alban.

Hirsau Church was first recorded in 1289, but elements of the building indicate that it dates to the early 12th century. There was probably a church here as early as the 7th century. In an inscription at the base of the tower, which is supposed to have been still visible in the 1840s, the year of construction was give as 1106.

The oldest part of the church, the nave, dates to this period, as manufacturing marks on several of the stones in the wall show. In the outer walls, Roman spolia were used. On the west side the ashlars have decorative marks.

The windows on the south side date to the 16th century. They were added in 1507 along with the west portal. Also in 1507 a side aisle was added on the north side of the nave.

It was demolished after the Thirty Years' War and rebuilt only after renovations in 1894. Access from the nave is via four ogival arcades resting on simple round columns...