The Neupfarrkirche

Eventful History of a European Church

Jewish District

Originally, the Neupfarrkirche and its surrounding square belonged to the medieval residential area of the Jewish citizens of this town. In February 1519, pogroms and subsequent dispossession of the Jews brought a horrible end to the peaceful and liberal coexistence between the Jewish and the Christian population that had lasted for centuries. The Jew’s houses and the time-honored Roman synagogue were torn down. Today, excavated remains of the Jewish urban area can be visited at the exposition ‘document Neupfarrkirche’ underneath the Neupfarrplatz.

 

On the site of the old synagogue, a wooden pilgrimage church and a triumphant statue of the Virgin Mary were erected, followed by the beginning of construction of today’s Neupfarrkirche shortly afterwards.

Pilgrimage Church

Quickly, the Church organized a ‘Wallfahrt zur Schönen Maria’ (Pilgrimage to the Beautiful Virgin Mary), and with the mass said 25,000 times in only three years the place became one of Europe’s most visited pilgrimage sites.

 

Regensburg’s city fathers authorized Augsburg’s architect Hans Hieber to build today’s church which, unfortunately, was not erected according to his magnificent plans but remained a fragment until the 1860’s, consisting of the eastern gallery, the main nave and the twin spires.

 

Only in the years 1860 - 1863 the church was finalized to receive today’s shape by the Munich architect Ludwig Foltz.

Architectural Monument

The Neupfarrkirche is the region’s most important religious renaissance building.

It features a combination of medieval stylistic elements and late Gothic as well as numerous Italian styles that were a novelty for the architecture at that time.

Reformation

In the year 1542 Regensburg converted to the protestant Lutheran confession. On October 15, 1542 the Holy Communion was administered in this church, for the first time in both ways.

New Parish

The former catholic pilgrimage church of the Virgin Mary now became the new parish (‘Neue Pfarre’) of protestant Regensburg.

European Church

At all times, Regensburg was closely connected also with the south and south-east of Europe. Therefore, it happened that numerous Lutheran priests and scholars left the parish in direction south-east. Between the years 1580 and 1620 around 140 protestant parsons were ordained for parishes in Austria.For this reason, Regensburg’s historian Dr. Peter Morsbach refers to the Neupfarrkirche with justification as ‘mother church for protestant Austria and south-east Europe’.

 

Among the few crest discs in the windows of the Neupfarrkirche that are still preserved in the original, the eucharistical disc dated 1885 above the city arms in the altar window is of vital importance. It is the core of the church construction association’s emblem.

University Church

The parish of the Neupfarrkirche is the mother parish of protestant Regensburg and the dean’s domicile. Furthermore, it is the protestant university church.

Heart of the Old Town

The Neupfarrkirche is located free in the middle of the old town’s largest market square forming Regensburg’s geographical center.

 

Cultural Location

At present, an already rich spiritual and sacred musical life leads to high nationwide importance.

Expanding the current uses of the Neupfarrkirche, the following items are projected:

• extended liturgical choice
• ecumenical events
• university services
• augmented sacred musical activities
• series of concerts of famous international artists and ensembles
• oral presentations such as lectures, everyday services, and Sunday school
• temporary and permanent exhibitions
• sacred musical workshops and master courses
• intercultural symposia
• sacral concerts for VIP guests visiting Regensburg
• presentation and transmission of these events also on national radio and TV programmes and on the internet

 

This extended utilization will increase the importance of this church as spiritual and secular center for Regensburg’s citizens and guests.

The detailed utilization and marketing concept was prepared by a business plan seminar group led by Prof. Dr. Michael Dowling from the Institute of Economics, University of Regensburg, in cooperation with the parish council.