Gottesackerkirche Zur Auferstehung Christi
THE ABANDONED CHURCH IN GERMANY
This ‘Gottesackerkirche’ is a former Evangelical Lutheran church. It was built from 1635 to 1651 in the style of the Italian late renaissance. The architect was the Altenburg master builder Christoph Richter. The abandoned church is part of a cemetery, dating 1529.
On the ceiling is a painting of the Eye of Providence, or the all-seeing eye of God. A symbol meant to represent the concept of divine providence, whereby the eye of God watches over humanity. The pulpit is decorated with gold elements.
The church was used from 1717 to 1817 as a Garnisonkirche, or church for the military. But the following years the building lost its religious use. Until reconstruction and maintenance work took place from 1835 to 1840. Karl Ernst Poppe from Altenburg built the organ in 1845. It was a cemetery church until the 1970s.
From 1911 to 1912 the exterior was remodelled in the style of the high renaissance. Also, the roof was replaced, and lightning rods were placed. The church has been empty since the 1970s. A last major renovation took place in 2007. I visited the ‘Gottesackerkirche Zur Auferstehung Christi’ in 2018. You can also check my report of the Trauerhalle of this cemetery.
