Have you ever felt the weight of history pressing down? Standing before St Peter und Paul in Weimar you can almost sense it. This isn’t just any church. It’s the most important church building in Weimar. It’s called the Stadtkirche the town church as opposed to the courtly Schlosskirche.
For centuries St Peter und Paul has been a vital part of Weimar’s life. Its story begins long ago between 1245 and 1249. A first church stood here. Sadly it was destroyed by fire in 1299. Only its foundations remain a silent testament to the past. A second church was built but damaged in the 1424 town fire.
The church you see today is different. It’s a hall church built in the late Gothic style between 1498 and 1500. This magnificent building served as a burial place for members of the House of Wettin. It became a Lutheran church in 1525 after the Reformation. Martin Luther himself preached here.
Imagine the sounds that echoed within these walls. John Eliot Gardiner believes Bach’s festive cantatas were first performed here. Think of the Christmas cantata Christen atzet diesen Tag BWV 63. Picture the Easter Sunday of 1715 with Der Himmel lacht BWV 31. Bach often played the organ here. Two of his sons were even baptized here. The church truly pulsates with the spirit of musical history.
St Peter und Paul is also known as Herderkirche. This is because of Johann Gottfried Herder the theologian and philosopher. He worked here as general superintendent from 1776 until his death in 1803. He is buried here along with Duchess Anna Amalia in 1807. The square in front was named Herderplatz in 1850.
The Second World War left its scars on St Peter und Paul. Bombing on February 9 1945 severely damaged it. The roof and vaults were destroyed. Reconstruction began and the church reopened on June 14 1953. The interior restoration lasted until 1977.
One of the church’s treasures is the altarpiece by Cranach. Lucas Cranach the Elder started it in 1552/53 shortly before his death. His son Lucas Cranach the Younger completed it in 1555. It’s a significant work of 16th-century art.
The present organ a reconstruction was built in 2000. It’s housed in the historic case of 1812. The church is still a concert venue for the Thuringian Bach Weeks. It is a living testament to the spirit of Weimar. A place where history art and faith intertwine. A place you won’t soon forget.