Beneath the towering Zwiwwelkersch a local name for it, lies a tale of resilience. Welcome to the Johanniskirche. This baroque church stands in Bornheim. It is a testament to Frankfurt’s enduring spirit. Since 1896, it has honored John the Baptist. It belongs to the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau.
Bornheim has been part of Frankfurt since 1474. A chapel stood here around 750 AD dedicated to Abdon and Sennen. This earlier structure saw repairs and expansions until 1712. In 1663 a late Gothic church expanded north by 15 meters. The south was a graveyard. The tower was rebuilt in 1751. A new baroque church was built in 1752. But lightning sparked a fire in 1776. It destroyed the church down to its walls.
Johann Andreas Liebhardt rebuilt it between 1778 and 1779. He used the remaining walls. The cornerstone was laid in 1778. The dedication took place in 1779. The east side got a new facade with steps to the church square. In 1781, it got something special. The Johanniskirche was the first building in Frankfurt with lightning rods. Professor Hemmer designed them. Locksmith Alb made them.
The first renovation occurred in 1873. It included a north staircase to the gallery. The altar railing was removed. A new organ came in 1874. Johann Eberhard Walcker built it. The old organ moved from the east. In 1896, the church fully renovated. It was renamed Johanniskirche. The windows were painted. They showed the symbols of the four evangelists. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all represented.
A wedding room was added in 1900. World War II damaged the Johanniskirche severely in 1944. Air raids destroyed all fifteen windows. Twelve had paintings. The ceiling painting disappeared. The roof, gallery, and organ suffered. It reopened in 1948 after repairs.
In 1972, the Johanniskirche gained monument protection status. Renovations from 1978 to 1980 were extensive. The tower leaned due to U-Bahn construction. It was separated from the church. Concrete piles over 10 meters deep stabilized it. The nave was fully renovated.
The tower renovation finished in 1994. Two new bells were installed. A new organ from Karl Schuke arrived in 2009. A major renovation occurred in 2014. It included new exterior plaster and a bright interior. The altar was cleaned. Woodwork was repaired. New lighting was installed. The altar platform grew. Lönne and Neumann redesigned the windows. The medallions of the evangelists were reframed. New altar, ambo, and baptismal font were installed. Chairs replaced the pews.
The cornerstone from 1778 is visible outside. It is the largest village church around Frankfurt’s city center. The Johanniskirche is a baroque hall church. The choir has a polygonal shape. A staircase and steps were added in 1778.
The tower stands nearly 50 meters tall. Its onion dome makes it a Bornheim symbol. The tower is slightly off-center. This allowed for the north staircase in 1873. The clock faces sit within the arches of the tower. The church is easily seen from northern Frankfurt.
Interestingly, the Johanniskirche even hosts a family of nesting falcons. The congregation streams a live webcam of them on their website. The largest baroque church of Frankfurt has three bells: Jubilate, Cantate and Rogate.
The square outside was once a horse pond. The Bornheim town hall stood nearby. It was torn down in 1801. The square was paved in 1803. The Bernemer Kerb festival occurs there since 2002. The square gained its current name in 2003.
The original parsonage suffered damage in 1776. It was rebuilt in 1778. The current parsonage has the Frankfurt eagle from the old one. The Kirchgarten south of the church was Bornheim’s cemetery until 1693. A bronze sculpture honors World War I dead. A Luther oak was planted in 1883.
During the Luminale light festivals, the Johanniskirche has been bathed in art. Peter Habermehl’s light installations have captivated visitors. The Johanniskirche stands as a beacon. It symbolizes Bornheim’s heart. Its survival through fire and war speaks volumes. It is not just a building but a living story.