Round-tower church

Round tower churches constitute a particular architectural form of church buildings in the western half of Europe, focusing in particular on England.

Dissemination

Germany

In Germany there or was there a round tower churches in the western half of the country.

• Baden- Württemberg ( Achern and Lorch )
• Bavaria ( Augsburg there is St. Thomas, a modern round tower church that do not actually correspond to the category).
• Holstein ( vicelin churches in Neukirchen / Malente, Pronstorf and Ratekau and in Barmstedt, churches and cold Rellingen and originally in Bosau ).
• South Schleswig ( Süderstapel, Kosel and Oeversee )
• Lower Saxony ( Suderburg, Betz village, stretching Hausen, salt Hausen, Satte Hausen and west),
• North Rhine Westphalia St. Luke's Church in Münster
• Rhineland -Palatinate ( Eckersweiler, Hermes wedge Opinion)
• Saarland ( Bebelsheim, Erfweiler Ehlingen and clean home in Bliesgau ).

England

The majority of these churches can be found, however, in England, particularly in East Anglia. In Norfolk alone, there are 124 round tower churches in Suffolk 38 more counties with at least one round tower Church Essex, Cambridgeshire, Sussex and Berkshire.

The round tower churches of East Anglia are often Anglo-Saxon origin and partly over 1000 years old. A characteristic of many round tower churches in Norfolk is the thatched roof, one in the area formerly frequently encountered form of roofing.

The churches are in some cases far from settlements. Reason for this is that the rulers often used to relocated their subordinate residents to create their hunting grounds. The dwellings were torn down and rebuilt elsewhere, to the churches, however, did not trust you to zoom, so that they stand alone in the landscape, and often are only accessible by footpaths.

This leads to the problem that many of the churches have no more communities and thus either given the last and the decay are revealed or must be received by non-profit organizations, such as the " Churches Conservation Trust ", which is financed through donations. Lack of money also often means that the actual original thatched roofs can not be renewed or expire the churches.

Theories of origin

Feature of this form of church is the circular tower. It is still unclear why it was resorted to this form. There are different theories.

A generally satisfactory explanation is made ​​, however.

Other

Other countries with a round tower churches

• Andorra, Santa Coloma
• France ( in Alsace-Lorraine Altrippe, Mountain, Farebersviller, Farschviller, rear Ransbach, Hilbesheim, Lidrezing, Metting, Rodalbe, Tarquimpol, Uzes, Weyer, Xouaxange, Zetting )
• Italy
• Norway
• Poland
• Sweden, Blantarps Kyrka, Bollerups kyrka, Hammarlöv kyrka, Hammarlunda kyrka, all in Skåne. Solna Stockholm kyrka
• South Africa
• Czechia

Demarcation

Round tower churches are not to be confused with the Celtic round towers, as they often ( Glendalough ) or Scotland is rare in Ireland or round churches, the churches have a round floor plan as opposed to round tower churches.