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Events Calendar
Concert for handbell ensemble plus organ, recorder and vocals
23 June | 3 p.m.
Altar and choir room of the Wittenberg Castle Church
Free admission | Collection at the exit
On Sunday, June 23 at 3 p.m., the next concert in the Castle Music series will take place in the Wittenberg Castle Church with the motto "Ring Praise Plus!" Both handbell ensembles of the Castle Church, with a total of 16 people, will play music at the front of the chancel. Visitors to the concert are invited to sit in the church's choir room to not only enjoy an exciting sound experience of the bells, but also to make the playing styles and techniques of handbell playing visible (you can secure a good seat from 2.30 p.m.)!
In addition to works for handbell ensembles, the program also includes works combined with recorder, organ and vocals. There is also an opportunity to get active yourself and sing along to the accompaniment of the handbells and organ.
Handbells are bronze-cast instruments from the USA, where each player in the ensemble plays two to four bells in their hand using different techniques. The chimes, metal rods with a light, floating sound, complement and expand the sound space of the handbells in the concert. Since 2011 we have been happy to play these instruments in the ensemble at the castle church! The musical director is the castle church cantor Sarah Herzer.
The altar in the choir, which rises up to 12 m high, is made largely of soft French limestone due to its delicate shapes. This altar was designed by master builder Friedrich Adler. He was inspired by the Nuremberg Sebaldus tomb by Peter Vischer the Elder (completed in 1519) (according to Martin Steffens).
The Theses Door
According to tradition, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted 95 theses in Latin on a poster on this door in order to debate them with scholars. The debate was intended to clarify whether the church's trade in "indulgences" corresponded to what Jesus once wanted. That was the beginning of the Reformation. The old wooden "Theses Door" was lost in the great fire of the church in 1760. In 1858, the Prussian King Frederick William IV donated the current bronze door, in the wings of which the Latin theses are cast.
Jubilee!
The castle church congregation celebrated its 75th anniversary on August 25, 2024 with a celebratory service followed by a reception.
History
Around 1340, the Ascanian dukes had an "All Saints' Chapel" built at their castle and founded a collegiate monastery in it for liturgical service. Elector Friedrich the Wise had the palace with the chapel demolished and his new residential palace with a more spacious palace church built on the site. You can find out more about the story here.
Church for children
Every Sunday there is a children's service in the Wittenberg Castle Church, parallel to the adult service. Ms. Felicia Grauel is one of the volunteers for the children's service.