Saint Thomas Church (Leipzig)
| St. Thomas Church | |
|---|---|
| German: Thomaskirche | |
 |
|
| Country | Germany |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style |
Gothic Romanesque (choir/nave) |
| Years built | 12th century 1884-1889 (renovations) |
| Specifications | |
| Nave width | 25 metres (82 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Division | Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor(s) | Rev. Britta Taddiken |
| Laity | |
| Director of music | Gudrun Hartmann |
| Organist(s) | Ullrich Böhme |
| Music group(s) | Thomanerchor |
St. Thomas Church (German: Thomaskirche) is a Lutheran church in Leipzig, Germany. It is most famous as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as a Kapellmeister (music director) from 1723 until his death in 1750, and as the location of his remains.
The Thomanerchor, the choir of the Thomaskirche, is still a well-known choir today.
There has been a church at the current site of the Thomaskirche since the 12th century. Between 1212 and 1222 the preceding church became the new St. Thomas Monastery of the Augustinian order. In 1217, The Minnesinger, or troubadour (see Minnesang), Heinrich von Morungen bequeathed to the church a relic of St. Thomas as he entered the order of canons after a trip to India. After several reconstructions (remains of an earlier Romanesque church were found during archaeological excavations), the current building, an example of late Gothic architecture, 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. Today, it is a Lutheran church.
The tower was first built in 1537 and reconstructed in 1702, leading to its current height of 68 meters.
The composer Johann Sebastian Bach was choir director at St. Thomas Church from 1723 until his death in 1750 and taught at its affiliated school. A statue of Johann Sebastian Bach by the Leipzig sculptor Carl Seffner that stands next to the church was dedicated in 1908.
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Wikipedia