St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, Germany

St. Thomas Church is associated with a number of well-known composers such as Richard Wagner and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, but mostly with Johann Sebastian Bach who worked here as a Kapellmeister (music director) from 1723 until his death in 1750. Today, the church also holds his remains. Martin Luther preached here in 1539.

There has been a church at the current site of the Thomaskirche at least since the 12th century. Foundations of a Romanesque building have been discovered in the choir and crossing of the current church. Between 1212 and 1222 the earlier structure became the church of the new St. Thomas Monastery (Stift) of the Augustinian order.

The current building was consecrated by Thilo of Trotha, the Bishop of Merseburg, on 10 April 1496. The reformer Martin Luther preached here on Pentecost Sunday in 1539. The monastic buildings were demolished in 1541 following the monastery's dissolution. The current church tower was first built in 1537 and rebuilt in 1702. Chapels added in the 17th century and an ante-building along the northern front of the nave with two stairways were removed at the end of the 19th century.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Corey Reimer (5 months ago)
This was a wonderful place to visit. The church where Bach worked and played music for many years. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful old instruments in the little museum inside the church as well as visiting Bach's final resting place. We were lucky enough to get to hear the orchestra practicing while we were there, the music was so beautiful and you could almost hear history come alive.

Анастасия Шаппо (5 months ago)
Johann Sebastian Bach worked here for twenty-seven years and was buried. Already seems closer to the great composer

Timothy En Haw Chan (7 months ago)
Johann Sebastian Bach was the key person of the worship service music of the church and buried here. The choir during worship service sung with Bach’s music is a wonderful experience.

Enrico Becker (9 months ago)
Great church definitely worse a visit if you in Leipzig. So much history there and so a beautiful interior. This is also the church famous composer Johan Sebastian Bach laid to rest

Hans de Raad (9 months ago)
Beautiful historic location, the sheer impact of the music that was created here at this church by JS Bach, but also by fellow city inhabitants like Mendelssohn resonates through the ages. Deeply humbling.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

St. Thomas Church

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historical Gems of Costa Verde

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle