Considering its unassuming exterior, what if I told you that the Spitalkirche St. Katharinen holds a wealth of history? This church is more than just a place of worship. It is a piece of Regensburg’s story.
The Spitalkirche St. Katharinen is part of the Katharinenspitalstiftung. This foundation includes five institutions. There is the church itself, an old people’s home and a brewery. Also a forest and the Spitalarchiv belong to it.
The Spitalarchiv is one of Germany’s most significant archives. It holds documents dating back to the 12th century. Imagine holding a piece of paper that’s almost 900 years old. The archive has remained almost complete due to the constitution of the Spital. This constitution remained unchanged for eight centuries.
The Spitalkirche St. Katharinen stands on St.-Katharinen-Platz in Stadtamhof. It is near the Stone Bridge. Its history stretches back to the 12th century. At that time, it was the Johannesspital near the Romanesque cathedral. Bishop Konrad IV relocated it around 1213/14. He also donated 7000 pounds of pennies. Konrad issued the Spitalssatzung in 1226. This hospital statute is still valid today.
A life-sized statue of Bishop Konrad IV once stood at the Spitalportal. It showed him as the founder. This statue was destroyed in 1809 during a city fire. The Austrian army caused this fire.
The Spitalkirche St. Katharinen has an interesting design. It features a hexagonal central building. There is a chancel a western nave and a roof turret. A northern octagonal baptismal chapel and a sacristy are attached. The church was first a mausoleum for the Zant family. This was a family of Regensburg patricians.
The six-sided central building was expanded around the end of the 13th century. It gained a two-bay nave. The area around the central building was a cemetery. This makes it the Allerheiligenkapelle. It is historically documented as a sepulchral building. The six original colored capitals inside are special. They suggest connections to the stonemasons of the cathedral building lodge.
The choir was enlarged in 1489. This happened under Spitalmeister Andreas Wallner. The Mausoleum is not the original parish church. The original stood next to the Stone Bridge. It was torn down when Regensburg fortified its northern Danube bank. This fortification was needed due to the Hussite threat in the early 15th century.
Extensive renovations occurred from 1858 to 1860. Michael Maurer rebuilt the choir and made changes in the neo-Gothic style. Today the interior of the Spitalkirche St. Katharinen holds many stories. None of the original furnishings remain. A painting of the two Johns by Albrecht Altdorfer is now in the Regensburg Stadtmuseum.
The high altar is a winged altar. It comes from the church in Martinsberg. The wings show the Christmas story. They also show scenes from the lives of Saint Barbara Margaret and Catherine. A statue of Saint Catherine of Alexandria stands in the center. It was made around 1500.
The people’s altar was made around 1990. Elements of the former choir screens were reused. The ambo matches the style of the people’s altar. It has a lectern to hold the Gospel after its announcement.
The colored glass windows in the chancel date from the time of the new chancel. A Madonna from the Art Nouveau period stands on the right side of the central building. There is also a copy of the Altdorfer painting. Parish Priest Msgr. August Lindner provided it. He has been working in the pastoral service of the Spital since 1998. Since April 2018, the building has been renovated. Art historians consider it one of Bavaria’s most important works of the 13th century.
The side chapel contains a Gothic altar. It also comes from the Joseph’s Chapel. This chapel belonged to the Martinsberg church. The wings show Saint Andrew and Rochus. They also show scenes from the lives of Saint Andrew and Nicholas. The figure of Saint Andrew from around 1400 is in the house chapel. A Pietà stands in its place in the side chapel. The baptismal font in the side chapel dates from 2005. A baroque resurrected Christ crowns the lid.
The tomb slab of Ulrich Zant from 1250 is set into the west wall. The pipe organ dates from 1973. The Heick company built it. It was the only work of this company. The company was mostly active in restoration. It replaced the Breil organ. An additional electronic organ from 2014 plays music from other eras. The Spitalkirche St. Katharinen continues to evolve.
The Katharinenspital managed the foundation together. This management involved a Lutheran and a Catholic Spitalmeister. The staff and residents were divided by confession. The Protestant share was abolished in 1891. The Protestants received 400000 marks in compensation.
So, as you stand before the Spitalkirche St. Katharinen remember its long history. This place embodies the history of Regensburg. It is a testament to faith community and the enduring spirit of this city.