Marienstiftskirche, Lich

The Marienstiftskirche is a Lutheran three-aisled hall church in Lich, Middle Hesse, Germany. It was built between 1510 and 1537, making it the last Late Gothic hall church to be built in Hesse. The architectural style straddles the transition between Gothic and Renaissance. It is a Hessian heritage site and contains objects of national art historical significance. The neighbouring Stadtturm (), with its historic triple peal serves as a clocktower for the Marienstiftskirche.

A parish is attested in Lich in the year 1239, which presupposes a church existed by that date. In 1316, the Marienstift was founded by Philip III of Falkenstein, as a collegiate church (German: Kollegiatstift) with ten canons, which was intended to educate young men for the priesthood. Three neighbouring churches were incorporated along with Lich. A large amount of property of the surrounding churches and districts was donated for the maintenance of the college. In the year of the college's foundation, a new, stone church was begun which was roughly two-thirds the size of the present building. The hall church, with a long choir and rood screen was consecrated to Mary on 7 May 1320. It survived less than two hundred years. In 1510 it was entirely demolished to make way for the construction of the present building on the same site. Only a few sections of wall in the west wall survive.

Philip, Count of Solms-Lich was responsible for the new structure and contributed to the plans. Meister Michael of Nürnberg produced a plan for the new building in 1509 at the instruction of the Count, which was modified in 1510 by Nikolaus of Wetzlar. The construction began in 1510 and was completed in 1537. Models for the new Marienstiftskirche include the Church of the Holy Spirit in Heidelberg, the Stadtkirche in Wittenberg and former Barfüßerkirche in Eisenach - all three-aisled hall churches with a northern sacristy and no transept. The plans were not followed exactly, but were modified in 1515 during construction, to incorporate novel Renaissance elements. The construction of a gallery in the choir was not ultimately realised. After the foundations were dug in spring 1511, the walls of the long sides of the church were under construction until October of that year. The construction of the arcades, the vaults of the side aisles and the roof work was undertaken in 1512. Philip, who was the guardian of the Amt of Coburg until 1514, sourced timber from the distant town of Lichtenfels. On 20 September 1512, 88 carts of lumber arrived in Lich from Hanau. In 1514 and 1515, stone was quarried in Hardt and Lower Albach. Contrary to the usual order, the unvaulted nave was built first in 1514 and the choir and sacristy were completed subsequently, in 1525. The buttresses on the north, east and south walls were only added in 1537.

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