Perhaps you have already noticed the captivating church here in Heidelberg’s old town. This is Sankt Peter. Sankt Peter is not just any church. It’s the oldest surviving church in Heidelberg. Its history stretches back even before Heidelberg was officially founded.
Imagine Heidelberg in the 12th century. Before the city existed. Sankt Peter’s earliest form was already here. We know this because it was mentioned in 1196. A parish priest named Konrad was based here. The Prince-Bishopric of Worms donated Sankt Peter. Worms controlled this area then. This connection is why Sankt Peter shares its name with Worms Cathedral.
Heidelberg became a city in 1225. The church was outside the city walls. Sankt Peter remained Heidelberg’s main parish church. That was until the Church of the Holy Spirit was built.
Around 1400, Sankt Peter became associated with the University of Heidelberg. This meant it was under the Pope’s authority. The university controlled Sankt Peter until the Reformation. Then it became Protestant.
For a short time, Sankt Peter became Catholic again. This was after Maximilian I took power. Johann Andreas Coppenstein tried to bring Catholicism back. He was unsuccessful. After 1821, Sankt Peter became less important. This happened when the Lutheran and Calvinist churches united. But since 1896, Sankt Peter has been Heidelberg’s university church.
The Sankt Peter we see today has changed a lot over time. It was rebuilt between 1485 and 1496. It became late Gothic in style and larger. Alexander Bellendörfer laid the foundation stone. He was an important official. Inside Sankt Peter you can find his epitaph.
Heidelberg was destroyed in 1689 and 1693. Sankt Peter was badly damaged. Only a tower stump remained. The interior was rebuilt in Baroque style.
The university helped restore Sankt Peter between 1864 and 1870. Ludwig Franck-Marperger led the renovation. It became a three-aisle hall church. Only the choir and sacristy kept their medieval look.
In 1883, they planted a Luther oak to honor Martin Luther. This celebrated his 400th birthday. In 1884, the tower was remodeled. It was made to look like Freiburg Minster. A copper roof was added to protect it.
Sankt Peter received a new interior in 2004 and 2005. Matthias Eder created a new altar. He also created a pulpit and baptismal font. The cross is made of COR-TEN steel. Johannes Schreiter designed four new church windows in 2006. The windows show themes like “encounter” and “peace.” A modern Jesus sculpture was added in 2008. It was made by Lee Choon-Mann.
Between 2010 and 2012, five more windows were installed. These completed Schreiter’s cycle of nine windows. The windows depict “Holy Spirit” and “Heavenly Jerusalem”.
Today, Sankt Peter is owned by a Protestant association. The University of Heidelberg uses it for services. Concerts and discussions also take place here. Many university professors are buried in Sankt Peter. Marsilius of Inghen, the university’s founder, was buried here too. Around 150 epitaphs honor professors and court members.
Take a walk around Sankt Peter. Notice the ancient cemetery. It was Heidelberg’s main cemetery for a long time. You’ll find graves and monuments. One belongs to Olympia Fulvia Morata. She was a famous poet. Sankt Peter is more than just a church. It’s a landmark with layers of history.