St. John's Church, Mainz
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

St. John's Church (in German ''Johanniskirche'') is located beneath
Mainz Cathedral , native_name_lang = , image = Mainzer Dom nw.jpg , imagesize = , imagelink = , imagealt = , caption = , pushpin map = , pushpin label position = , pushpin map alt = , pushpin mapsize = , relief = , map caption = , iso regi ...
in the historical center of
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. This 1100-year-old church was the first
episcopal see An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...
of the
Bishop of Mainz The Diocese of Mainz, historically known in English as ''Mentz'' as well as by its French name ''Mayence'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was founded in 304, promoted in 780 to Metrop ...
. It is the oldest church in Mainz, the oldest cathedral in the Germany of today and the only preserved cathedral building from late
Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
and early
Ottonian The Ottonian dynasty (german: Ottonen) was a Saxons, Saxon dynasty of List of German monarchs, German monarchs (919–1024), named after three of its kings and Holy Roman Emperors named Otto, especially its first Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Empe ...
time in Germany. St. John's Church is predominantly
Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
in style, but later exterior additions over many centuries have resulted in the appearance of various architectural influences seen today. It comprises three
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
s and stands under the patronage of
John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
today. It can be assumed that the church was dedicated initially to
Martin of Tours Martin of Tours ( la, Sanctus Martinus Turonensis; 316/336 – 8 November 397), also known as Martin the Merciful, was the third bishop of Tours. He has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints in France, heralded as the ...
since Martin is the Patron saint of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Mainz The Diocese of Mainz, historically known in English as ''Mentz'' as well as by its French name ''Mayence'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was founded in 304, promoted in 780 to Metrop ...
, then to St. Salvator, consecrated in 911 by Archbishop
Hatto I Hatto I (c. 850 – 15 May 913) was Archbishop of Mainz (Mayence) from 891 until his death. Hatto belonged to a Swabian family, and was probably educated at the monastery of Reichenau, of which he became abbot in 888. He was also abbot of Ellwan ...
and served as the cathedral for the Bishop of Mainz until the appointment of
Willigis Willigis ( la, Willigisus; german: Willigis, Willegis; 940 – 23 February 1011 AD) was Archbishop of Mainz from 975 until his death as well as archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire. Life Willigus was born in the Duchy of Saxony, possibly at ...
as Archbishop of Mainz in 975. It is documented that archbishop
Erkanbald Erkanbald (died 17 August 1021) was the Abbot of Fulda from 997 and afterwards Archbishop of Mainz from 1011 until his death. Erkanbald was a member of the family of the counts of Ölsburg and was thus related to Bernard III of Sommerescheburg, ...
was buried in this first cathedral. In 2019, a sarcophagus was opened to gain more information on the early history of the diocese of Mainz. Whether it concerns the remains of cleric Erkanbald, buried in 1021, is investigated since then said research director Guido Faccani.


Building

The church building dates from the early medieval era; construction of the main area of the church began in the 7th century. In the basement archaeologists have been encountered with two burials. The already exposed skeleton in a grave shaft probably dates from the first phase, i.e. from the 7th century. ″It is not a bishop, because a bishop would have been buried in the area of St. Alban's Abbey.″ The successional building kept the guidelines of the floor plan of the original building. Knöchlein speculates that as the predecessors have also been made of stone, which is uncommon for the post-Roman period, leads to the conclusion that the early Christians in Mainz worshipped first in either a civilian building near the
Forum Forum or The Forum (plural forums or fora) may refer to: Common uses * Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example *Internet ...
or on the foundations of an ancient temple. Hattos Church is one of the few remaining late Carolingian churches. It was built as a basilica, its wide central nave is higher than the narrow aisles. The building was designed as a double chancel facility in east-west direction. Hatto has partially used wall remains of the first building. There are remains that have been integrated into the new church. In other places, this was completely demolished. The archeologists assume that it was a planned demolition and reconstruction - probably a smooth transition. One fact is that the ground level has risen by 2.60 meters since Hattos times comprising debris of solid masonry. The present floor level is probably the seventh level in total. When the scientists of the ''Institut für Europäische Kunstgeschichte'' of the
Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
were scratching the plaster of the wall, they encountered in some places still in nine meters height tuff masonry from the 6th or 7th century.Wissenschaftler machen spektakuläre Funde in der evangelische Johanniskirche in Mainz
/ref> In the East the choir room is as wide as the nave. The side walls of the east choir are opened by two arched windows and overlying round windows (so-called
Oeil-de-boeuf An ''oeil-de-boeuf'' (; en, "bull's eye"), also ''œil de bœuf'' and sometimes anglicized as ''ox-eye window'', is a relatively small elliptical or circular window, typically for an upper storey, and sometimes set in a roof slope as a do ...
). West to the choir joins a rectangular nave flanked by narrow aisles. The walls of the nave are at the top of the
clerestory In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
broken by four arched windows, including four arcades open each (now closed) in the former aisles (now parish rooms).


References


Literature

* Dethard von Winterfeld, ''Der Alte Dom zu Mainz. Zur Architektur der Johanniskirche''. (Research contributions of the Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum, volume 1) 2013. * * * {{coord, 49.9983, N, 8.2722, E, source:wikidata, display=title, format=dms Mainz John
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
Mainz John
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
Mainz John Mainz John