Valbert Protestant Church

There was already a Christian community in Valbert more than 1,000 years ago. The first stone church was built on this site between 1200 and 1250. The Protestant church still stands on the same site today. Around the middle of the 16th century, the Reformation took hold and Valbert developed into one of the earliest Protestant communities in the region. Despite repeated attempts to return the community to the Catholic faith, it remained permanently Lutheran.

For many centuries, the people of Valbert lived mainly from agriculture. It was not until the 19th century that a new church was built with the support of the Prussian king. However, this church fell victim to a fire on December 30, 1956 and burned to the ground. Two years later, the current church building was consecrated. The building, erected in 1958, is a simple, clearly structured structure from the 1950s and deliberately sets itself apart from the earlier Gothic pillar basilica.

Inside, several works of art designed by the Bielefeld sculptor Arnold Rickert characterize the space. The altar, altar chandelier and altar cross lend the restrained church interior a special spiritual depth.

Today, Valbert Protestant Church is not only a spiritual center, but also a stamping point on the Sauerland-Camino, a section of the European Way of St. James network. The pilgrimage route follows the historic Heidenstraße, which served as a trade, military and pilgrimage route for centuries. In the covered entrance area of the church, pilgrims will find a specially made stamp for their pilgrim's passport as well as information material about the church and the history of pilgrimage.

Guided tours of the church and tower are available by prior arrangement. The approximately 1.5-hour guided tours are led by sexton Andreas Gogarn and provide vivid insights into the eventful history of the church and the close connection between faith, history and hospitality.

All information without guarantee.