Ev. Servatiuskirche Rönsahl

The church, formerly dedicated to St. Servatius, dates back to the late Romanesque period according to the defensive tower. The church and the historic pipe organ (one of the most valuable in the region) have been listed for several years.

The former pilgrimage church dedicated to St. Servatius is the focal point of the district of Rönsahl in Kierspe/Märkischer Kreis. It is a triaxial rectangular building typical of the Bergisch Baroque period with a wooden barrel vault. The year of construction, 1768, is marked above the side portal and by wall anchors. The massive late Romanesque Westfalen tower remained standing after the village fire in 1766 as the remains of what was probably a small Westphalian basilica and since 1897 has had a baroque-style dome designed by Cologne architect Heinrich Renard instead of the former pyramid roof.

After 1950, a memorial for the victims of the two world wars and a stained glass window with the image of the archangel Michael fighting against the forces of darkness (Revelation 12) were installed in the tower entrance. Since the fall of 2005, a tower room with historical church furnishings has been set up in the bell tower, which can be accessed via wormholes. The interior is dominated by the organ, pulpit and altar, which are arranged vertically on top of each other in a 'Bergisch structure' and kept in a fine rococo style.

The originally white interior was colorfully painted between 1948 and 1950 under the direction of Professor Thol and decorated with angel figures and banners on the pillars, gallery balustrade and sacristy. During the extensive renovation in 2004, the stained glass windows on the east side , which had been covered for 50 years, were reopened and fragments of a historical painting were uncovered on the west wall: the picture windows, which were covered at the time for reasons of visibility and style, show the portraits of the reformers Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon framed by Art Nouveau ornaments - the wall painting reproduces the text of the Reformation hymn 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' (A Mighty Fortress is Our God) as well as a dedication from the time the nave was built, which cannot be reconstructed.

The oldest individual part of the church is a cast-iron hearth from 1583 with a depiction of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) on the west wall of the nave. The altar wall shows an oil painting depicting Jesus at the Last Supper with his disciples and the words of institution of Holy Communion according to 1 Corinthians 11. The original altarpiece with the portrait of the early Christian bishop and patron saint Servatius found its place on the west wall after expert restoration in summer 2005. The historic pipe organ was built in 1786 by Gebrüder Kleine as an originally unique work with 11 stops and was extended by Richard Ibach in 1892. Even after the changes that have taken place in the meantime, a substantial part of the original stop and pipe inventory has been preserved. The instrument is one of the most valuable organs in the region and, like the entire church, has been a listed building for several years.

Since 1990, the 'Rönsahl Church Concerts' series has been inviting people to enjoy an intense musical experience in the Servatius Church. Renowned orchestras, choirs and soloists, not only from the local area, create a varied and appealing program. A specialty is the presentation of unusual formations. As a result, the concert series has become a permanent fixture in church and cultural life in the village and a musical insider tip in the Bergisch-Märk border region. Catchment area: Kierspe, Marienheide, Wipperfürth. Contact: Dr. med. Ch. Luyken Tel. 02269-7425 For possible concert dates, please refer to the current announcements or the homepage. Church service on Sundays at 10.00 am. The church (built in 1768) can be visited on request (02269/7425).

Tip: At a listening point in Kierspe, not far from the old Amtshaus, you can use a QR code to find out exciting information about the Amtshaus. You can find out more under the entry "Kierspe listening points".

All information without guarantee!