Pause for a moment to appreciate the serene facade of Sankt Anna. This Catholic church stands in Heidelberg’s Old Town. Sankt Anna started as a hospital church. It was built from 1714 to 1717. The church is dedicated to Saint Anne. The former hospital building connects to the church’s east side.
Let’s delve into its history. Sankt Anna replaced older hospitals. These hospitals faced destruction in past wars. A new hospital was needed. It was to be built at the end of Plöck. This was then a suburb. A well with good water was there. It was called “Gesundbrunnen”. The new building replaced a military hospital destroyed in the Palatinate Succession War. It was near the St. Anna Cemetery. The patronage was adopted from the cemetery’s later demolished chapel.
Franz Wilhelm Caspar von Hillesheim laid the foundation stone. This was on June 24, 1714. He was the government president. Theodor Sartori and Johann Adam Breunig designed it. Johann Jakob Rischer completed the construction in 1717. Franz Wilhelm Rabaliatti likely designed the facade in 1749. The hospice was planned with two wings. These would connect symmetrically to the church on both sides. But the western wing was never built due to lack of funds.
Until the mid-18th century, all three denominations used the hospital together. Then, Reformed and Lutherans built their own hospitals. Sankt Anna was left to the Catholics. Later, it served as a municipal retirement and nursing home. From 1982 to 1984, it was thoroughly renovated. It now houses a nursing home. This is the Pflegeheimat St. Hedwig. Caritas-Altenhilfe Heidelberg runs it.
Sankt Anna belongs to the Catholic parish of Heilig Geist. Various groups use it today. These include the Polish and Romanian Orthodox communities. Masses are also held in the Tridentine Rite.
Notice the architecture. The church is a single-nave building with a flat roof. It faces south due to urban planning reasons. The Baroque facade faces Plöck. It is in the line of sight of Neugasse. Four pilasters with ornate Corinthian capitals divide it. A curved gable with a roof turret crowns it. This was meant to mimic a dome. But the later installed window and clock ruin this effect. The west side on Nadlerstraße is plain. This is because the second wing of the hospital was meant to connect here.
Inside Sankt Anna, simplicity reigns. Side altars show Saint Anne on the left. Saint Francis Xavier is on the right. The pulpit is classicist. The high altar stands out. An artist from Paul Egell’s circle created it. It features a crucifix towering over the tabernacle. At the foot of the cross is Saint Roch. He is the patron saint of plague sufferers. He pleads to the crucified for the sick and suffering. Opposite him is a praying angel.
Consider the hospital wing to the east. It is a long, three-story building. The facade is plain. Only the central section with the entrance is highlighted. Four pilasters with Ionic capitals do this. Above the courtyard gate is a keystone. It has a relief of a beggar. The inscription reads “Elende Herberg” and the year 1735. This translates to “Miserable Inn”.
Sankt Anna is more than just a building. It’s a testament to Heidelberg’s history. It reflects the city’s faith and community.