The or (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

for "castle church" or "palace church") was a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

within

Königsberg Castle Königsberg Castle (, ) was the seat of the grand masters of the Teutonic Order and of the dukes and kings of Prussia in the city of Königsberg (since 1946 Kaliningrad, Russia). The original fortress on the site was built by the Teutonic Knights ...

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

(modern

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

, Russia).

History

Construction of the

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

chapel along the western side of the castle's southern wing began in 1584 under the direction of Blasius Berwart of

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

. Located on the second floor, the single-naved church featured a hall with wooden vaults, stucco, and Dutch-influenced scrollwork. The massive Moskowitersaal (Muscovite Hall) spanned the floor above. In 1594 the church was dedicated by Sebastian Artomedes, pastor of

Königsberg Cathedral Königsberg Cathedral (; ) is a Brick Gothic-style monument in Kaliningrad, Russia, located on Kneiphof island in the Pregolya river. It is the most significant preserved building of the former city of Königsberg, which was largely destroyed in ...

.Mühlpfordt ''Königsberg'', p. 128 Wood rot was discovered in the cellar, however, and from 1602 to 1608 the original wooden base was replaced with a doubly reinforced lierne or stellar vaulting with granite pillars by Hans Wissmar and Timotheus Just, building master of

Elbląg Elbląg (; ; ) is a city in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, located in the eastern edge of the Żuławy region with 127,390 inhabitants, as of December 2021. It is the capital of Elbląg County. Elbląg is one of the ol ...

. After the renovations were completed the now double-naved church contained slim granite pillars and a stellar vault. The first

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

sermons in the now double-naved church were held in 1641. In 1655, the city's first Polish Reformed Church services were held in the castle church, later moved to the Reformed school. left, Anointing of King Frederick I On 17 January 1701, Elector Frederick III founded the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle () was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I of Prussia, Friedrich I, King in Prussia, the ...

. The following day he crowned himself Frederick I,

King in Prussia King ''in'' Prussia (German language, German: ''König in Preußen'') was a title used by the Prussian kings (also in personal union Elector of Brandenburg, Electors of Brandenburg) from 1701 to 1772. Subsequently, they used the title King ''of' ...

, in the castle's Albrechtsbau wing, followed by his anointing in the Schlosskirche. The church was decorated in gold and scarlet cloth, two thrones were placed before the altar, and the Swiss Guards and court officials were finely attired. Benjamin Ursinus represented the

clergy while Bernhard von Sanden represented the Lutherans. Approximately 4,000 guests were in attendance for the anointing. From 1705 to 1710 Joachim Ludwig Schultheiß von Unfriedt decorated the church with galleries, a royal box, and high altar. An

obsequy A funeral is a ceremony connected with the Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture ...

for Queen Louise of Prussia was held at the church on 11 September 1810. Oberbürgermeister August Wilhelm Heidemann gave the eulogy, Mozart's

Requiem A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...

and Handel's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' were performed, and 2,500 candles were burned. In 1816 the also began serving as a garrison church ('). Coronation of King William I by Adolph Menzel On 18 October 1861

William I William I may refer to: Kings * William the Conqueror (–1087), also known as William I, King of England * William I of Sicily (died 1166) * William I of Scotland (died 1214), known as William the Lion * William I of the Netherlands and Luxembour ...

crowned himself king within the church, the first Prussian king to do so in Königsberg since Frederick I. A coronation march written specifically by

Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jakob Liebmann Meyer Beer; 5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart and Richard Wa ...

to commemorate the occasion was performed in the . Wilhelm Taubert replaced the ill Meyerbeer in directing a celebratory concert by the Hofkapelle. As part of Königsberg Castle, the was devastated by the 1944

Bombing of Königsberg A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanical ...

and 1945

Battle of Königsberg The Battle of Königsberg, also known as the Königsberg offensive, was one of the last operations of the East Prussian offensive during World War II. In four days of urban warfare, Soviet Union, Soviet forces of the 1st Baltic Front and the 3 ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The remnants were demolished in 1968, by which time the city was known as

Decoration

Alexander Krause designed images of

Fides Fides or FIDES may refer to: *Faith, trust, loyalty, or fidelity, or a religious belief * Fides (cycling team), an Italian professional cycling team in 1961 *Fides (deity), goddess of trust in Roman mythology * Fides (reliability), guide allowing ...

Spes Spes (Latin for "Hope") was worshipped as a goddess in ancient Roman religion. Numerous temples to Spes are known, and inscriptions indicate that she received private devotion as well as state cult. Republican Hope During the Republic, a tem ...

, Caritas, and

Justitia Lady Justice () is an Allegory, allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems. Her attributes are Weighing scale, scales, a sword and sometimes a blindfold. She often appears as a pair with Prudentia. Lady Justice originat ...

on the pillars' ornamental consoles in 1606. The stellar vault contained stucco by Hans Windrauch from 1589, while the ceiling stucco was by Matthias Poertzel from 1706 to 1708. The church's

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

high altar, one of the first in

East Prussia East Prussia was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 1871); following World War I it formed part of the Weimar Republic's ...

, was decorated with wooden sculptures, possibly by Poertzel in 1710. The organ was designed by G. H. Trost and Adam Gottlob Casparini in 1732.Mühlpfordt ''Königsberger'', p. 226 The church was also decorated with the arms of the Order of the Black Eagle.

Gallery

image:Königsberg Castle courtyard.jpg, Courtyard of Königsberg Castle with the Schlosskirche image:ID003831 B262 SchlosskircheInnen.jpg, Church interior image:KbgSchlosskircheInnen.jpg, Church interior image:ID003832 B263 SchlosskircheInnen.jpg, Church interior

Notes

References

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schlosskirche (Konigsberg) 1584 establishments in Europe 1944 disestablishments in Germany 16th-century Lutheran churches in Germany Baroque architecture in Germany Buildings and structures in Germany destroyed during World War II Destroyed churches in Germany Former churches in Königsberg Lutheran churches in Königsberg Religious organizations established in the 1580s