Right before us rises St.-Nikolaus-Kirche in Stadtbergen. It is a testament to centuries of faith and architectural evolution. This church even lends its image to the town’s coat of arms.
Let’s take a closer look at St.-Nikolaus-Kirche. Its story begins long before the current structure. The church we see today was erected in 1730 and 1731. But parts of the previous Gothic building remain. The three buttresses of the choir and the tower hint at its older origins. The tower may date back to the late 14th or early 15th century.
Imagine the dedication ceremony on August 19, 1731. Johann Jakob von Pergamun, the Auxiliary Bishop of Augsburg, consecrated the church. For a time, Stadtbergen was linked to the parish of Pfersee. Later, in 1746, it regained its independence as a parish.
Notice the tower. Its lower sections are from the earlier church. Observe the blind arches framed by pointed arch friezes. Look at the corner lesenes on the tower facade. The second-to-last story features double sound arches on each side. Also, the baroque door leaves on the north and south portals are still there. The north portal’s fittings date back to the 17th century. The south portal’s fittings are from 1730.
In 1905 and 1906, the baroque nave was extended westward by two bays. The church combines different eras, showing its long history.
Inside St.-Nikolaus-Kirche, the single-nave long hall and the retracted choir are striking. Both are covered by a basket arch barrel. A double gallery forms the western end of the long hall. Admire the stucco decor by Andreas Hainz. He framed the ceiling frescoes, grisaille paintings, and cartouches. During the restoration in 1980 and 1981, the decor was returned to its original red-brown color.
Johann Georg Bergmüller created the ceiling frescoes in the choir and eastern part of the long hall. He directed the Augsburg Art Academy from 1730 until his death in 1762. In the central choir fresco, Archangel Michael casts Lucifer down. This symbolizes the triumph of the cross.
The fresco in the northern vault shows Saint Helena. She was Emperor Constantine the Great’s mother. She and Makarios I, the Bishop of Jerusalem, tested the True Cross. The southern vault fresco shows Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. In 630, he returned the cross relic to Jerusalem in a procession. Grisaille paintings depict Old Testament scenes. These include Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, the Bronze Serpent, and Samson with the gates of Gaza.
The ceiling fresco in the eastern part of the long hall honors St. Nicholas. He appears to Emperor Constantine the Great in a dream. He asks him to release three unjustly convicted soldiers.
The ceiling paintings in the western long hall also relate to St. Nicholas’s legend. Joseph Albrecht’s large western long hall fresco depicts the saint’s death. Six smaller pictures recall his miracles. The vaults depict the Lamb of God and the Tree of Knowledge. Above the gallery are King David with the harp and Saint Cecilia at the organ.
Consider the church’s furnishings. The baptismal font near the north portal is a cube capital from the 13th century. Its front shows a shield with a stonemason’s mark from the 16th century.
The oldest sculpture is a wood-carved figure of St. Nicholas. It dates to around 1520. He is shown with his attribute: three golden balls. The figure of Saint Urban, patron saint of good weather, is from the 17th century. The diocesan saints, St. Ulrich and St. Afra, are from the church’s construction period.
The high altar from 1702 to 1710 came from the Jesuit church St. Salvator in Augsburg. The parish priest acquired it in the early 19th century. The altar painting is a copy of the Holy Night by Antonio da Correggio. Andreas Hainz created the pulpit around 1725 to 1730.
Johann Georg Wolcker painted the oval paintings of the apostles on the long hall walls in 1735. Wolcker also painted the altar panel of the left side altar. It depicts the veneration of Mary by St. Nicholas and John Nepomuk.
The late Baroque church pews are oak. They feature wood-carved cheeks with band work, acanthus leaves, and putti. The marbled wood baptismal font with rocaille decor is from the mid-18th century. A carved group of the Baptism of Jesus tops it.
Currently, the Heiβ organ building company is constructing a new organ. It will have 19 stops on two manuals and a pedal. St.-Nikolaus-Kirche continues to evolve. It blends history, art, and faith.