Standing here before the imposing Holy Cross Catholic Church, you might not realize the history that lies within its walls. This church, built in the Gothic style in 1508, has witnessed centuries of change and upheaval. It was built on the site of an earlier hospice, a place for the sick and weary. The hospice was named for an ancient relic – a cross, which can still be seen today in the Diocesan Museum.
Originally a simple chapel, the church underwent a remarkable transformation. In 1502, Provost Vitus Fackler, unhappy with the Romanesque building, decided to build a grander Gothic church. He entrusted Burkhart Engelberg with the design, and the church took six years to complete.
In the church’s early years, the story of a miracle spread far and wide. In 1194, a parishioner took a piece of the sacramental communion bread home with her. The longer she kept it, the more it seemed to transform into a mysterious blood-red object. She confessed her misdemeanor five years later, returning the bread to the priest. This miraculous event made the church a popular destination for pilgrimages, even as late as the 20th century.
This church has survived wars, plagues, and even a devastating fire that consumed its wooden tower in 1314. It was rebuilt in the Romanesque style with a stone tower, only to be transformed once again in the 16th century. The original church tower was built around 1200 on graves from Roman times.
After some serious bomb damage during World War II, painstaking rebuilding work was completed in 1949. The church stands today, a testament to resilience and devotion, with a rich history and a place in the heart of Augsburg.