Westerwälder Dom, Wirges, Germany

Westerwälder Dom is the common name of the church St. Bonifatius in Wirges in the Westerwald region. It was built in Gothic revival style from 1885 to 1887. It has been called Westerwälder Dom from 1902.

The church is the third church building in Wirges, all dedicated to St. Boniface. The congregation outgrew every former building. When a new building was planned, alternatives were to build it on the graveyard, expanding the old church, or to build a new church on a larger property in the west of town. In 1878, when the bishop of Limburg was banned, the Kirchenvorstand commissioned an expansion of the church without waiting for consent from the diocese, and works for started, intending to use the expansion as a first stage for a rebuilding. The tower was demolished as unsafe, against protests from the population who wanted to protect it as an 'unersetzliches Kunstwerk' (irreplaceable work of art).

In 1883, Baumeister Büchling was requested to supply plans for a completely new building. After the Limburg office was working again, they commissioned architect Max Meckel from Frankfurt to supply an alternative design for a Gothic revival church with three naves. The old church was demolished, leaving only the columns of the central nave. The new church was connected to the expansion building and the new tower. It was consecrated on 20 August 1887 by Bishop Karl Klein, who promoted Meckel to cathedral builder (Diözesanbaumeister) at the same time.

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St. Martin Rotunda

The Chapel of St. Martin is the only completely preserved Romanesque building in Vyšehrad and one of the oldest in Prague. In was built around 1100 in the eastern part of the fortified outer ward. Between 1100 and 1300, the Rotrunda was surrounded by a cemetery. The building survived the Hussite Wars and was used as the municipal prison of the Town of the Vyšehrad Hill.

During the Thirty Years’ War, it was used as gunpowder storage, from 1700 to 1750, it was renovated and reconsecrated. In 1784, the chapel was closed passed to the military management which kept using it as a warehouseand a cannon-amunition manufacturing facility. In 1841, it was meant to be demolished to give way to the construction of a new road through Vyšehrad. Eventually, only the original western entrance was walled up and replaced with a new one in the sountren side. The dilapidating Rotunda subsequently served as a shelter for the poor.

Daniel Breuer (3 years ago)
Beautiful build and fantastic sound inside.

Theo Höffer (3 years ago)
A nice place for reflection. Good for the soul and strength for the next few days. Recommended again and again.

Tamara Diel (4 years ago)
The church is beautiful. Just to take pictures a bit dark during weddings.

Wolfgang Graf (6 years ago)
Very nice church

Thomas Meuer (6 years ago)
Appropriate musical participation by the church choir community and the Westerwald Cathedral Orchestra at the Festhottesdienst.

Westerwälder Dom

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St. Martin Rotunda