Sebalduskirche - St Sebaldus Church, Nürnberg

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St. Sebald Church is one of the three larger churches that stand out in Nürnberg and, at first glance, looks a lot like St. Lorenz Church with its nearly identical twin spires. St. Sebald Church is one of the oldest churches in the city, dating back to 1230 when it was built as a late-Romanesque basilica dedicated to St. Sebald, who died in Nürnberg around 100 years before the construction of the church.

The Romanesque style of the church was modified with Gothic additions in the 1300s, widening the two side aisles and building the large three-aisled hall choir in the east. Additional renovations in the 1600s gave the interior of the church a Baroque look and the addition of galleries.

Sadly, like so many buildings in Nürnberg, St. Sebald Church was almost completely destroyed in the 1945 Allied bombings during World War II. An interesting display in the east choir is the many photographs of the church after this destruction, making it easy to compare then vs. now.
Also in the east choir is the bronze shrine of Saint Sebald, designed in the early 1500s by Peter Vischer. The details of this shrine were interesting to look at – I particularly enjoyed the little snails at the bottom of the shrine (see photo).

Other artworks in the church include a tomb done by Nürnberg sculptor Adam Kraft (from 1492 for the Schreyer-Landauer family), an epitaph by Hans von Kulmbach (1513 for the wealthy Tucher family), and two Veit Stoss works from the early 1500s – St. Andrew and a Crucifixion group. The stained glass windows in the east choir are also very well done (and mostly original) with some based on works by Albrecht Dürer (see signs in the church which point to the exact location).

There is a fascinating study using GoogleEarth of this church available online which documents the details of the reconstruction of St. Sebald Church and includes photos and plans of the architecture and the artwork.

Started around 1230-40; the church was awarded the title of "Parish Church" in 1255 with the work completed by 1274-75. The church was altered between 1309 and 1345 to widen the side aisles and increase the height of the steeples, the hall chancel was built between 1358 and 1379. After comprehensive damage during the Second World War reconstruction started and in some areas is still continuing today.

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

email pfarramt@sebalduskirche.de

March 2012

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Saint Seabald's Church Sebalduskirche
This is a beautiful church with several lovely carvings on the outside. Entry is free, give an optional donation towards the upkeep of the church. Inside is peaceful with many lovely stained glass windows and paintings. There was an exhibition of old photos showing the square around the church in Hitler's time with swastikas hanging from all the windows of the surrounding houses. This interested me, because I have just finished reading The Book Thief a novel set in wartime Munich. It tells the story of a German family who hide a Jew in their basement. In one scene they are panicking because they have to hang their flag out of the window, but cannot find it.
Saint Seabald's was flattened by bombs in 1945 and some of the other photos show the damage and devastation that was done to this lovely building. They then go on to show the restoration and rebuilding that took place. So the exhibition is about triumph over despair.
There was a cross of nails on display on one of the church's pillars. This was made from three nails retrieved from the smouldering remains of Coventry Cathedral's spire. Coventry Cathedral was flattened in 1940. The cross was given/lent by the people of Coventry and, for me anyway, was a powerful symbol of the unity felt by those who have suffered in a war regardless of what side they were on.

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St Sebaldus's Church (1225-73; Protestant), with a magnificent Gothic east choir (1379). On the outside of the choir is the Schreyer-Landauer tomb, a masterpiece by Adam Krafft (1492).

Inside the church, on a pillar in the north aisle, can be seen the "Madonna in an Aureole" (1420-25). In the east choir is the famous tomb of St Sebaldus (1508-19). Behind the tomb is a moving Crucifixion group by Veit Stoss (1507 and 1520). There is also an organ with 6,000 pipes.

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This church impressed me more with its history. It was burnt during the World War II. It was built in XIII – th century and after the World War II it had to be reconstructed again. In the church there are amazing sculptures and also pictures of its history. It was a pleasure for me to go through the years and see it on pictures.

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Sebalduskirche is the protestant parish church of the northern half of the old town between Pegnitz river and the castle. Like Lorenzkirche it is a church of the citizens. Wealthy families contributed to its furnishing and decoration in the late middle ages. There are not as many works of art preserved as in Lorenzkirche but the amount is still amazing.

This is the oldest parish church of Nürnberg. Parts of the nave still derive from the Romanesque church of the 13th century. Later on the much higher gothic choir was added. This choir was heavily damaged in World War II and rebuilt in its former shape.

St Sebaldus is a local saint, one of the two patrons of the city. He is buried within the church. His shrine is framed by the beautiful bronze tomb by Peter Vischer (1507), which is still standing behind the altar. The church is a Lutheran church, so the presence of the shrine is remarkable. A cute detail: dolphins and the snails that carry the tomb.

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This is a lovely church, Nurnburg's oldest and dating from the early 1400s.

It is remarkably large for an 'ordinary' parish church, and has some beautiful Medieval (and later) artwork inside.

The church was badly damaged during air-raids in the Second World War, and photographs set out within show just how much care and effort has gone into its rebilding and restoration. It is now one of the churches which has a 'cross of nails'from Coventry Cathedral.

The tomb of St Sebald, the patron saint of Nurnburg, is intricately detailed and really rather beautiful (from the early 14th century, by Peter Vischer the Elder).iloved the way it is supported on a group of beautifully-detailed and realistic (though rather enormous) snails....I wonder what the significance of that is?

Some Medieval wall-paintings too (possibly uncovered during post-war restoration work?), strange little Medieval carvings on the stonework, wooden statues galore and a fascinating memorial-with-a-balcony, presumably created at the height of the fashion for adding oriel windows to one's house (see my Nuremburg 'oriel' travelogue).

A fascinating church to explore......definitely not to be missed.

For some reason my camera was (or my hands were) very wobbly that morning, so I apologise in advance for the blurriness of the photos attached to this tip.

st. sebaldus kirche was begun in 1225 originally in the romanesque style then was altered over time with gothic additions. a couple of attractions in the church is the schreyer-landauer tomb by adam kraft in 1492 and the 16 th century shrine of st. sebaldus.

St. Sebaldus was once one of the two main churches in Nuernberg, with the other one being St. Lorenz. Indeed, the city was divided into the Sebalder Seite (the part north of the river) and Lorenzer Seite (the part south of it). The church was build between 1230 and 1273 in romanesque style, but an expasion between 1361 and 1379 gave the church today’s gothic appearance.

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One of the main attractions of the church is the tomb of the patron saint of Nürnberg Sebaldus, one of the masterpieces by Peter Vischer the Elder, who worked in this church with his sons and disciples from 1508 to 1519.
You can see the statues of the Apostles and, below, bas-relieves of the Saint's life. Notice the snails that serve as pedestals.