What if these red sandstone walls could talk? The Johanneskirche has a rich history. It stands proudly in Freiburg im Breisgau.
The Johanneskirche, or Church of St. John, is a Roman Catholic church. Its story began in 1899 in the Wiehre district. Around the church, more historic buildings arose. To the west is the community’s presbytery. Beside it stands a vocational school. To the north is the Lessingschule. Interestingly, the Protestant Christians built their Christuskirche near the Johanneskirche around the same time.
After the Wiehre district joined Freiburg in 1825, construction boomed. The population grew fast. The existing Church of St. Cyriakus and Perpetua was too small. It held fewer than 200 people. A decision to build a new church came in 1889. The domain directorate commissioned it. They were under the Ministry of Finance. Building manager Josef Durm received the contract.
The Ministry rejected Durm’s first draft because of costs. To save space, the Ministry wanted galleries. Durm and the church resisted. Galleries seemed unsuitable for a Catholic church. The faithful in the gallery could not properly participate in mass. Gallery churches suited Evangelical services better. Durm eventually conceded.
The city council also shaped the design. Durm’s Romanesque-early Gothic design seemed too similar to the Minster. Durm revised his design. He emphasized the Romanesque features. He made the towers taller and added another story. Lord Mayor Otto Winterer wanted towering buildings to mark Freiburg’s expansion.
Construction began in 1894 near the Dreisam. The site once held the first gasworks. The church was consecrated in 1899. To maximize space for 900 seats, the Johanneskirche got a wide central nave measuring 11 meters. Two side aisles of 3.5 meters each have galleries. The building is 74.3 meters long. The crossing has a diameter of 16.8 meters.
Red sandstone gives the building its look. It features elements of late Romanesque churches. Unlike older churches, the Johanneskirche faces west. The altar is in the west. Two 60-meter towers flank the facade. The entrance is an octagon. The towers point east toward Talstraße. This creates a long line of sight.
Architect Josef Durm cited Bamberg Cathedral as inspiration. He wrote this in a letter. He sent it to the Finance Directorate. This mainly related to the eastern view. The entrance apse has two towers. However, the floor plan and interior differ from Bamberg Cathedral. Durm drew inspiration from the late Romanesque style. This was of the Lower and Upper Rhines. Durm found an independent solution. A direct copy of a late-Romanesque building was not his intention.
Freiburg artist Fritz Geiges created the glass windows. He worked on them between 1898 and 1901.
The interior was renovated from 1971 to 1973. In 1975, Joseph Henger redesigned the crossings. He also redesigned the altar area. From 2006 to 2008, another exterior renovation took place. This included the roof, masonry, and windows.
The Johanneskirche still has a painting. It depicts the Fourteen Holy Helpers. It comes from a defunct chapel. Two Baroque figures and a medieval Madonna are also present. These were once on Basler Straße. This location is between Heinrich-von-Stephan-Straße and the railway underpass.
The community of St. John, St. Cyriak, and Perpetua, Liebfraugemeinde, and Maria-Hilf form the pastoral unit of Freiburg-Süd. Polish Friars Minor oversaw it from 2005 to 2013. They resided at the Franciscan monastery.
The organ on the eastern gallery dates back to 1981. Organ builder Metzler from Switzerland built it. The organ has 50 stops and 3536 pipes. It has three keyboards and pedals. There is also a figured bass console. It is independent of the main console. Two organists can play music on two consoles. The organ has mechanical tracker actions.
In 1954, St. Johann received eight new bronze bells. Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling from Heidelberg cast them. At the time, it was the largest peal in Freiburg. Since 1959, it is second only to the Minster.
So, as you stand before the Johanneskirche, remember its long history. The dedicated craftsmanship, the artistic touches, and the echoes of faith that resonate within these walls.