St. Nikolaus parish church (Pfronten)
The Church of St. Nicholas is the parish church of the municipality in the district of Pfronten Ostallgaeu.
Founding of the parish
The older historical research has repeatedly tried to the founding of the parish Pfronten the hl. Magnus, the Apostle of the Allgäu, "or his companions " attributable. The monk Magnus came in the 8th century by St. Gallen to feet, and was buried in 750 he founded the monastery of St. Mang. Occupation is but just that the parish Pfronten from the monastery of St. Mang in 1420 has been awarded " Hochalpe ". Therefore, still there today, the field names Mangenacker, Mangebrunnen and Mangebuche known. The vernacular form of Mange ( = Magnus ) has probably led to this legend.
The founding of the parish Pfronten likely to be due more to a bishop of Augsburg against it. After Bishop Henry II had been enfeoffed in 1059 by Empress Agnes with the wild spell im Allgäu, started - if not older tenures were touched - here a brisk land clearing and cultivation operation, during which probably built the first church in Pfronten- mountain soon after 1100 been. This is indicated by the patronal feast of St. Nicholas. The veneration of the saint who was often chosen to Old Quarters to the patron saint of the Alps sat, north intensified after the translation of his relics from Myra to Bari in 1087 a. Old Nikolauspatrozinien there is in the southern Ostallgaeu still in Weissensee Oberkirch and forest and neighboring Tyrol, Tannheim. Serve with a Romanesque statue of St. Nicholas in Oberkirch from the 12th/13th. Century, whose whereabouts are now unknown.
Architectural History
From the first Romanesque church, which was much smaller, could be left " with ancient stages " at most one slot. They turned from the tower to the choir back off and were filled during the restoration in 1930. Mention is made of this house of God already 1361st
In the Gothic era, the church has been adapted by a higher roof and longer window to the new style. The tower received a pointed roof, as it is the oldest map of the Allgäu shows yet. A new high altar, came to 1480, came from the so-called " Master of the Imberger altar ". Receive but has from that time only the relief of a praying angel who has been found in 1964 under a Empor stairs. The workpiece, around 1460, was probably part of a tabernacle.
From the mid-17th century the growing population necessitated a larger church. Since delaying the construction, first the old church was in Baroque style. Mention the name of the painter Leonhard Bösinger (1621-1681) and the " artful " carpenter Peter Babel ( 1601-1691 ). 1683 Nicholas Babel created a new high altar by Johann Georg Stapf ( 1652-1731 ) was taken. The altarpiece painted Bösinger Rudolf ( 1650-1698 ). All artists came from the site itself
Then in 1687 the foundation stone was laid for the present church. Its plan has, almost doubling. Therefore, the 1634 spent parsonage was not on the selected area, southwest of the church to be rebuilt and therefore the south adjoining property was severely restricted by a very high cemetery walls. During the construction of the parish church, which was completed in 1692, the old tower was initially available. It was not until 1746 Baudirektoren Mang Anton Stapf ( 1701-1772 ) and Peter Heel elegant " sculptor tower " was hoisted headed. Its financing brought many problems and differences among the parishioners comrades who were only completed in 1766.
The construction of the present church and the tower was a joint effort of Pfrontener artists and craftsmen.
Today's equipment
After 1776 a "large stucco " of the old plaster ceiling had fallen down, had to be made a fundamental renovation of the church building. The builder was Joseph Anton Geisenhof Pfronten ( 1737-1797 ). The craftsmen, all of them also Pfrontener have immortalized their names on the cover plates of the (now demolished ) Emporesäulen. The costs were financed for the most part of a legacy that had the unmarried Pfrontener Joseph Weber donated.
The Baroque decoration of the church, which was first adopted in the new building of 1687, there was a simultaneous modernization in the ( early) classical style to the victim. Only 1705 of Nicholas Babel created, lavishly embellished with angels' heads remained pulpit has survived.
For the new high altar made Joseph Stapf (1711-1785) a model. It is now exhibited in the local history collection in Pfrontener home house. Stapf's nephew Johann Sigmund Hitzelsberger (1745-1829) led from the work until 1772. He also established the figurative part, Rococo sculptures and putting. Hitzelsberger also be attributed to the two classical side altars, which resulted only in 1800, after previously had lacked the financial means.
A treasure holds the right side Altar: An altar-piece by the Venetian painter Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (1675-1741) with the painting of the Holy Family. It probably comes from a St. Joseph 's Chapel, which was apparently used only when the construction of the new parish church was listed. The image is the only work of art in the parish church, which was not created by one of the locals.
The ceiling of the nave in 1780 the fresco adorns a huge bill dome. In the center of the church patron St. Nicholas floats up to heaven where he is greeted by the Holy Trinity and by Joseph and Mary. His attributes, the book with the three golden balls carry him laterally beneath two angels. The prince-bishop's court painter Joseph Keller has signed the fresco.
Organ
The organ of the parish church was built in 2009 by the organ builder Romanus Seifert ( Kevelaer ). Also, the first scheduled for later installation of the pipes of the swellable remote work (III. Manual) could then be made on the basis of a generous individual donation. The instrument now has 33 registers on the gallery and with the remote station 39 registers. A part of the pipework dates from the previous organ, which was built in 1913 by GF Steinmeyer & Co. (Göttingen) with 47 registers.
- Pairing: Normal Couplers: II / I, III / I, III / II, I / P, II / P III / P
- Superoktavkoppel: III / II, III / III
- Suboktavkoppel: III / II, III / III