St. Sebaldus Church, Nuremberg

St. Sebaldus Church (St. Sebald, Sebalduskirche) is a medieval church in Nuremberg, Germany. Along with Frauenkirche (Our Lady's Church) and St. Lorenz, it is one of the most important churches of the city, and also one of the oldest. It is located at the Albrecht-Dürer-Platz, in front of the old city hall. It takes its name from Sebaldus, an 8th-century hermit and missionary and patron saint of Nuremberg. It has been a Lutheran parish church since the Reformation.

St. Sebaldus Church
Sebalduskirche
northern facade
St. Sebaldus Church is located in Bavaria
St. Sebaldus Church
St. Sebaldus Church
St. Sebaldus Church is located in Germany
St. Sebaldus Church
St. Sebaldus Church
49°27′19″N 11°4′35″E / 49.45528°N 11.07639°E / 49.45528; 11.07639
LocationNuremberg
CountryGermany
DenominationLutheran
Previous denominationCatholic
Websitewww.sebalduskirche.de
History
StatusParish church
Founded1225 (building)
1255 (parish)
Architecture
Functional statusActive
StyleRomanesque (original building)
Gothic
Administration
DivisionEvangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Martin Brons
Laity
Director of musicBernhard Buttmann

History

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The construction of the building began in 1225. the church achieved parish church status in 1255 and was completed by 1273–75. It was originally built as a Romanesque basilica with two choirs. During the 14th century several important changes to the construction were made: first the side aisles were widened and the steeples made higher (1309–1345), then the late gothic hall chancel was built (1358–1379). The two towers were added in the 15th century. In the middle 17th century galleries were added and the interior was remodelled in the Baroque fashion. The church suffered serious damage during World War II and was subsequently restored. Some of the old interior undamaged includes the Shrine of St. Sebaldus, works by Veit Stoss and the stained glass windows. In the church the famous epitaph of the Tucher family can be found.

Organ

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The organ of 1975 by Peter of Cologne

The church had an organ by the 14th century, and another by the 15th. The main organ had been built in 1440–41 by Heinrich Traxdorf, who also built two small organs for Nuremberg's Frauenkirche. The Traxdorf organ was rebuilt in 1691. The modified case was destroyed by the Allied forces during a bombing raid on 2 January 1945.

The new 4 manual, 122 rank, 84 stop organ by Peter of Cologne was installed in 1975.

I Hauptwerk C–a3
Praestant 16′
Bordun 16′
Principal 8′
Metallflöte 8′
Spitzgambe 8′
Großnasat 51/3
Octave 4′
Spitzflöte 4′
Schwiegel 22/3
Octave 2′
Rohrschweizerpfeife 2′
Kornett V 8′
Hintersatz III–IV 4′
Mixtur VI–VII 2′
Trompete 16′
Trompete 8′
Trompete 4′
Glocken
II Schwell-Positiv C–a3
Rohrpommer 16′
Grobgedeckt 8′
Quintadena 8′
Weidenpfeife 8′
Principal 4′
Rohrflöte 4′
Nasatquinte 22/3
Kleinoctave 2′
Überblasender Dulcian 2′
Gemsterz 13/5
Kleinquinte 11/3
Sifflet 1′
Septnone II 11/7
Scharfmixtur IV–VI 1′
Cimbel III 1/3
Rohrkrummhorn 16′
Voix humaine 8′
Schalmei 8′
Tremulant
III Schwell-Oberwerk C–a3
Nachthorngedeckt 16′
Schwellprincipal 8′
Rohrgedeckt 8′
Flaut d’amore 8′
Flaut lament (Schwebung) 8′
Octava nazarda 4′
Koppelflöte 4′
Terzflöte 31/5
Octave 2′
Flute douce 2′
Rohrgemsquinte 11/3
Span. Hintersatz III 4′
Sesquialtera II 22/3
Mixtur V–VI 11/3
Oberton II 8/11
Fagott 16′
Trompete harmonique 8′
Clairon 4′
Tremulant
Xylophon
Pedalwerk C–f1
Principalbass 32′
Principalbass 16′
Subbass 16′
Gedecktbass 16′
Salizetbass 16′
Octavbass 8′
Bassflöte 8′
Octave 4′
Gemshorn 4′
Doppelrohrflöte 2′
Bauernflöte 1′
Rauschzink IV 51/3
Mixtur IV 22/3
Bombarde 32′
Posaunenbass 16′
Trompetenbass 8′
Bärpfeife 8′
Feldtrompete 4′
Tremulant
(IV) Chororgel C–a3
Gedeckt 8′
Engl. Gambe 8′
Principal 4′
Rohrtraverse 4′
Octave 2′
Quinte 22/3
Mixtur III–IV 1′
Musette 8′
Tremulant

Pedal (Chororgel) C–f1
Pommer 16′
Bassflöte 8′
Choralbass II 4′
  • Couplers: II/I, III/I, III/II, IV/I, IV/II, IV/III, I/P, II/P, II 4'/P, III/P, IV/P

Organists

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The position of organist of St. Sebaldus was the most important one of this kind in Nuremberg, and several important composers occupied this post. Organists who worked at St. Sebaldus include the following (almost all held the post until their death, except where stated otherwise):

Judensau

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Anti-Jewish sculpture of a "Judensau" (German for "Jews' sow"). Seen from the Rathausplatz.

The church features a Judensau, an antisemitic sculpture depicting Jews engaged in obscene activities with pigs. The Judensau depicts a large sow, with two Jews hanging on the teats. A third Jew is feeding the sow on the left side, while a fourth is collecting the excrement on the right. The sculpture was made in the 1380s and is placed at a height of about 7 meters on the church.[1]

Burials

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References

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  1. ^ "What Should We Do with Hateful Medieval Monuments?". The Public Medievalist. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
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