Road church
Motorway churches and chapels are Christian places of worship in close proximity to a highway, which were expressly declared to motorway church or chapel (or were even mostly built specifically for this purpose ). Highway of worship are used for predominantly individual, anonymous and any time for quiet reflection and solitude traveling by car; Services and direct contacts are exceptions here.
Motorway churches are almost exclusively to be found along German motorways. In recent times, there are efforts in other countries also set up the motorway churches. For example, opened a motorway church in 2007 in the Czech Plzeň (Pilsen). In Austria there is the motorway church " Dolina " on the A 2 in Klagenfurt as well as the motorway church Haid at the junction Traun (Upper Austria ).
Purpose
The first ascertainable basic concept of these devices was that of the medieval path Tock or the wayside chapel as a reminder or a reminder of God. Motorway churches remind the people of the " noise of the traffic ." A more recent, fond of quoting in the media motivation for the establishment of such an offer is that of a " filling station for the soul." This pretty floral designation comes the empirically interrogated reasons of visitors to the highway of worship much closer: Because the driving situation on the highways generated psychologically a very specific stress, which is between the typical overtaking and being overtaken ( " Hunting and Hunted Will " ) in the flow of motorway driving moves. Even with passenger seats, the car ride - especially at high speeds - not to be perceived as relaxed. According to search the travelers in the houses of worship visual fix and concentration points, find a sheltered situation and rejuvenate yourself mentally in their contingency by the reassurance of closeness and affection of God or even the Virgin Mary ( mother of Jesus). In many cases, by travelers conversion rate available in the intercession or concerns books registered short prayers are with the protection from the dangers of the journey or the thanks for the previous integrity. What is striking is the very large proportion of the guests in highway houses of worship that does not belong to the Sunday churchgoers: In these places, which otherwise ecclesiastically existing requirements of service times, preachers, content and styles in favor of an individual freely determinable religiosity omitted ( low-threshold range ). It is disputed that the current growth in the establishment of highway houses of worship of all the spatial proximity of a church to the motorway forms the decisive criterion, but not the design or architectural suitability.
Consistent visit narratives do not exist and these estimates are significantly apart. In the motorway church in Adelsried and in the Autobahnkirche Baden -Baden estimated 300,000 visitors per year. In the Autobahnkirche Himmelcron 100000-120000 visitors are counted by light barrier annually.
Formation
The first motorway church Maria, protection of passengers in 1958 in the district of Augsburg on the A8 at Adelsried. All motorway churches and chapels come from regional, predominantly privately financed initiatives. There is no overarching ecclesiastical institution, where the highway churches are assumed. Depending on the donor origin of the motorway churches and chapels are marked Catholic or Protestant, but are usually ecumenical intended. The distinction of motorway churches and chapels motorway is due to the type of building. Some of the motorway churches are only rooms large and are therefore referred to as a chapel, others are full-blown church building.
Significantly, the difference between the buildings, which were built on the site of motorway service areas for this purpose, and those awarded were as existing village churches in the vicinity of a motorway only an additional feature and most hardly changed for car travelers were. Standards for the design or content of the offer does not exist for the highway - worship before. Therefore, the assignment is in some cases quite doubting, when it is merely partially reclassified churches on motorways.
As of summer 2013 made in Germany 40 or 41 highway churches and chapels, depending on whether you count the two standing close together and therefore designated village churches in the grass village as one or two churches.
Selection criteria
A motorway Church has a direct connection to a motorway service station or motorway have, in the latter case the distance shall be not more than 1000 meters. Parking and sanitary facilities must be available. The carrier must, minimum daily opening times from 8.00 to 20.00 clock and ensure afford the associated costs for energy and keeping clean. The interior of a motorway church or chapel should be so large that even a bus tour group of the joint visit is possible. In addition, approval of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development and the local church or the diocese is required.
A special case in terms of distance rule is the 2003 is Autobahnkirche in Landsberg: in September 2005, the associated highway was redesigned, at the same time was a local bypass operation. The removal of the church to the motorway is currently around 1,600 meters.