Churches, chapels and a cloister in Miltenberg
Categories: Sightseeing, Cultural and History
Many years ago Miltenberg (Miltenberg vacation rentals | Miltenberg travel guide) am Main campaigned with the slogan "The Pearl of the Lower Main" - and it is still true: this little medieval town between Spessart and Odenwald really is a gem.
The main road is lined with half-timbered houses, the traffic is almost entirely banned from the city, the historic market square "Am Schnatterloch" was used as a location in countless feature films, and you can find comfortable outdoors cafes and restaurants to sit and relax.
Lower Franconia has traditionally been a strongly Catholic area. Here, between the "Engelplatz" (Angel's Square) and the "Schwarzviertel" (the Black quarter) - that is, basically, between Heaven and Hell - there are three churches that are definitely worth a visit.
Franziskanerkirche
Let's start at the Engelplatz, where the Franziskanerkirche (Franciscan church) stretches along the road, obscured by tall trees, and is hardly recognized as a church from the outside. Inside, the visitor is greeted by baroque beauty - when the sunlight falls through the huge windows, the two side altars and the altar of St. Mary in the center literally shine in their golden splendor. Since the church has only one nave, the focus is on this one open space that does not look cluttered, and up to the lavish decoration of the pulpit from the 17th century, has no other decorative elements.
St. Johannes-Kirche
As much as this region is dominated by Catholicism, this Protestant Church of St. John towers over everything. It is a beautiful neo-Gothic sandstone church right on the Engelplatz, up the steep path, on the right side of the road.
In sharp contrast to the baroque brightness, the Protestant church’s high interior gives an impression of pietism, severity and gloom. Only when the sunlight illuminates the multi-colored windows is the severe and dark interior illuminated in the most beautiful, bright contrast. Surprisingly, the church is open every day from 9 am.
St. Jakobus - Stadtkirche Miltenberg
At the other end of the main street, opposite the Schnatterloch, you’ll find St. Jakobus - the town church of Miltenberg. The Classicist church towers and the sandstone nave point to the 19th century. In the Church interior, on the other hand, one immediately sees the mighty Roman columns from the 14th Century. St. James has been expanded several times over the centuries, restored and rebuilt, which has created a contrast that is immediately noticeable: on the one side, works of art from the 15th century such as the representation of the Three Magi, on the other side the main altar’s triptych which was created only in 2004.
Outside the city walls of historic Miltenberg, there are two outstanding small chapels, which could hardly make more of a contrast.
Martinskapelle - Bürgstadt (Bürgstadt vacation rentals | Bürgstadt travel guide)
The Martin’s Chapel is in Bürgstadt, the small village behind the Würzburger Tor. Decorated to the last corner with 40 colored medallions, it presents the story of the New Testament in rich imagery. The frescoes date from the 16th century and still seem as fresh and vivid as when they were created in the Renaissance. The chapel also houses a "poor man's bible" (also known as a Pauper’s bible). The key to this chapel can be found in the "Gärtnerei Kling" or the "Schreinerei Hofmann."
Laurentius Kapelle
Shortly behind the city limits of Miltenberg, towards Aschaffenburg (Aschaffenburg vacation rentals | Aschaffenburg travel guide), lies the old Laurentius cemetery with the Laurentiuskapelle chapel. It is reached by an antique stone bridge. The cemetery is a beautiful testimony to the stonemasonry of this region; the oldest graves date to the 17th century, and the last of the red sandstone graves from the 19th Century.
The Laurentiuskapelle dates to the year 1456; the 15th Century frescoes can still be seen.
From the Chapel, you can quickly and easily get to one of the best beer gardens of the region. About a kilometer away, the Park Café is idyllically situated within greenery, and it is a perfect place to treat yourself to regional specialties and an excellent non-alcoholic wheat beer and recover from the strenuous cultural hiking experience.
Kloster Engelberg
The Franciscan monastery on the Engelberg offers one of the greatest views of Miltenberg and the Main’s banks. The monastery is easily accessible by car or taxi, or athletic people who want to could also climb the 612 steps – the Engelsstaffeln – from Großheubach (Großheubach vacation rentals | Großheubach travel guide) up the mountain.
The goal is always the same: the pilgrimage church of St. Francis, the idyllic St. Francis’ garden, the panorama terrace in front of the monastery - and the historic monastery tavern. The sanctuary was built in the 17th century, the oldest part of the church being the St. Mary's Chapel with its statue of Mary from the 14th century.
After visiting the church, you can go to the tavern and treat yourself to beer, delicious dark bread and sausage and cheese to strengthen yourself before the next part of the hike.
The monastery tavern is open daily (except Monday) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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About this Article
This travel guide has been written by Gaby Leeser.
Ich bin studierte Volkskundlerin und gelernte Fernsehreporterin , reise sehr gerne beruflich und privat durch Deutschland und verbringe meinen Urlaub seit Jahren nur in Ferienhäusern oder Ferienwohnungen.
Beruflich habe ich sowohl für das ZDF und den SWR gearbeitet, aber auch für verschiedene private TV Sender - daneben habe ich mich immer mehr auf Recherchen zu den unterschiedlichsten Themen spezialisiert.
Ansonsten lebe ich mit Mann und Foxterrier in Mainz , sammle alte Kochbücher , backe eigenes Brot und fahre mit meinen kleinen grünen MG gerne in die nähere und weitere Umgebung um Neues zu entdecken und stundenlang mit meinem Hund spazieren zu gehen.
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