Category Archives: German Royals

Chapel of Grace in Altötting, Bavaria, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

History

Chapel of Grace in Altötting, Bavaria, Germany; Credit – Wikipedia

The Chapel of Grace (Gnadenkapelle in German), also known as the Holy Chapel (Heilige Kapelle in German), is in Altötting, Bavaria, Germany. The original chapel dates from the 8th to 10th centuries and was expanded in the Gothic style in the 15th century. For 500 years, Roman Catholics have been making pilgrimages to Altötting in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, including Pope Pius VI in 1782, Pope Saint John Paul II in 1980, and Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. It is a Bavarian national shrine and one of the most important and most visited pilgrimage destinations in Germany and Europe.

The wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Chapel of Grace; Credit – By S. Finner: Siddhartha Finner, Dipl.Ing.-Architektur

Since the 14th century, the Chapel of Grace has housed an image made from linden wood of a standing Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. The statue has been dressed in fabric from the wedding dresses of Bavarian princesses since 1518. The scepter and crown were donated by Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria. In 2006, when Pope Benedict XVI made a pilgrimage to Altötting, he laid his bishop’s ring, which he had worn until he was elected Pope, before the wooden image of Mary. The ring is now attached to the scepter on the statue. The Chapel of Grace became a popular pilgrim destination because of the miraculous recovery in 1489 of a drowned young boy after his mother laid his body before the wooden image and prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary for a miracle.

What is a separate burial?

A separate burial is a form of partial burial in which internal organs are buried separately from the rest of the body. Separate burials of the heart and viscera (the intestines) were common among the higher ranks of European society. Removing the organs was part of normal embalming practices. When a person died too far from home to make a full body burial at home feasible, it was often more convenient for the heart or entrails to be carried home as representations of the deceased.

Eventually, in some royal families, separate burials became the usual practice. In addition to the separate burials of the House of Wittelsbach, the ruling family of Bavaria, the House of Habsburg, the ruling family of Austria, is also known for separate burials. It became traditional for the body to be interred in the Imperial Crypt in the Capuchin Church in Vienna, the heart to be placed in an urn in the Herzgruft, the Heart Crypt in the Loreto Chapel of the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, and the entrails to be placed in an urn in the Ducal Crypt of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.

Heart Burials at the Chapel of Grace

Heart urn of Karl VII, Holy Roman Emperor, Elector of Bavaria in the Chapel of Grace; Credit – Wikipedia – Von Ricardalovesmonuments – File: Gnadenkapelle (Altötting)

The Bavarian rulers of the Wittelsbach dynasty practiced separate burials as early as the late 1500s. When Georg (the Rich), Duke of Bavaria-Landshut died in 1503, his viscera were interred at the Church of Our Lady in Ingolstadt, and his body was interred in the Wittelsbach crypt in Landshut, Bavaria. Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, who died in Ingolstadt in 1651, began the Bavarian tradition of separate burial. His remains were divided into three parts and buried in three different places in Bavaria: his viscera were buried at the Church of Our Lady in Ingolstadt, his body was buried at St. Michael’s Church in Munich, and his heart was buried at the Chapel of Grace in Altötting, which established the Wittelsbach tradition of burying the hearts of family members there.

Below is a list of the heart urns placed in niches. These heart urns are visible and are made from silver, with some gilded and decorated with precious stones.

Below is a list of heart urns that are not visible because they are embedded in the wall or buried beneath the paved floor.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). Böhmisches Adelsgeschlecht. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sternberg_(b%C3%B6hmisches_Adelsgeschlecht)
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2012). Form der Teilbestattung, bei der die Bestattung der inneren Organe getrennt vom übrigen Körper erfolgt. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getrennte_Bestattung
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2007). Wallfahrtskapelle in Altötting. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnadenkapelle_(Alt%C3%B6tting)
  • Gnadenort Altötting | Bistum Passau. (2025). Gnadenort Altötting; bistum-passau. https://www.gnadenort-altoetting.de/
  • Herzbestattungen. (2025). Gnadenort Altötting; bistum-passau. https://www.gnadenort-altoetting.de/geschichte-institutionen/geschichte-von-altoetting/herzbestattungen
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Altötting. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Heart-burial. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe; Credit – Wikipedia – Von Ikar.us,

History

Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden, previously Margrave of Baden-Durlach and Margrave of Baden; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1738, ten-year-old Karl Friedrich succeeded as Margrave of Baden-Durlach upon his grandfather’s death. Baden-Durlach was one of the branches of the Margraviate of Baden, which had been divided several times over the previous 500 years. When August Georg, the last Margrave of Baden-Baden, died in 1771 without heirs, Karl Friedrich inherited the territory. This brought all the Baden territories together, and Karl Friedrich became Margrave of Baden. When the Holy Roman Empire ended in 1806, Karl Friedrich declared himself sovereign, as Grand Duke, of the newly created Grand Duchy of Baden.

From 1538, Saint Michael’s Church in Pforzheim was the burial site of the Ernestine line of the House of Baden. Until 1860, almost all members of that branch of the House of Baden were buried at St. Michael’s Church. The Evangelische Stadtkirche Karlsruhe (Evangelical City Church Karlsruhe in English) was built between 1807 and 1816, during the reign of Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden, on the Market Square in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden, intended the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe to be the burial site for members of the Grand Ducal family. However, he died in 1811, before the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was complete, and was interred at Saint Michael’s Church in Pforzheim. Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden, was the first family member interred at the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe. After 1888, most family members were interred at the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe. The Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was severely damaged during World War II. In 1946, all those buried there were moved to the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Why was the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel built?

Prince Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 23, 1888, twenty-two-year-old Prince Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden, the younger son of Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden and his wife, born Luise of Prussia, the only daughter of Wilhelm I, German Emperor, died. Newspapers printed the official announcement: “A few days ago, the prince, who was previously in the best of health, suffered a lung infection, which unfortunately brought an end to this young, precious life.”

However, German writer, journalist, and publisher Wolf Graf von Baudissin (link in German) reported his memories of the prince’s death in 1909. He was a member of the infantry regiment in Freiburg, where Prince Ludwig Wilhelm was studying at the university. Baudissin wrote:

“When we paraded around the square, the young Prince Ludwig von Baden very often appeared as an observer […]. He was a tall, slender, noticeably handsome and rarely amiable person […]. One day, he died of a lung infection. Quite suddenly, entirely unexpectedly.

Two days prior, I had seen him on the street […] His death has made us all wholeheartedly sad, we were truly shocked. […] We ensigns regularly ate in the mess with the officers at midday. Of course, the death of Prince Ludwig was the sole topic of conversation in the days following, and though everyone was careful around us, […] suddenly we knew it nonetheless: The prince had not died a natural death, but had fallen in a duel.

I am bound on my honor not to name his opponent. But even despite that, today everyone knows who met the cheerful and fun-loving prince, weapon in hand, demanding a reckoning for his sister’s stolen honor.”

The Grand Ducal Burial Chapel surrounded by the forest; Credit – Von Johannes Werner – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=126730664

Prince Ludwig Wilhelm’s grieving parents wanted his grave located away from the noise of the city, “in the deep seclusion of the forest world” where they could visit without attracting public attention.

The Grand Ducal Burial Chapel, dedicated on June 29, 1896, was built within the Karlsruhe Palace complex, in the middle of the Hardtwald, a forest in Karlsruhe. On the map above, “Schloss” is the location of the Karlsruhe Palace. In the northeast, “Großherzogliche Grabkapelle” is the location of the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel.

Exterior of the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel

A view of the exterior of the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel; Credit – By Joschkade – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30356235

Shortly after Prince Ludwig Wilhelm died, a competition for the design of a burial chapel was announced. Freiburg building inspector and architect Franz Baer (link in German) won the competition. However, he eventually had to resign due to illness. He was succeeded by architect Friedrich Hemberger (link in German) and his son Hermann Hemberger, who increasingly assumed more responsibility in the construction management.

The Grand Ducal Burial Chapel, built from 1889 to 1896, was modeled after the Mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, which was built for Queen Luise of Prussia, born Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the paternal grandmother of Prince Ludwig’s mother, born Princess Luise of Prussia.

The exterior is decorated with forest-themed motifs by Karlsruhe sculptor Wilhelm Sauer (link in German) to symbolically represent its forest location and integrate it into the forest. The height of the church tower was intended to make the chapel visible from Karlsruhe Palace. Two fountains are located on the sides of the burial chapel.

Interior of the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel

The upper church is light-filled with stacked rows of columns. The upper part of the columns is carved from shimmering black labradorite. The columns support sandstone consoles and a wooden barrel vault with ornate transverse arches. Four angel heads made of light-yellow limestone adorn the crossing. Decorative forms such as foliage friezes and capitals can be found throughout the interior. Stone lizards hide in the leaves of the apse frieze. Among the artists involved in the interior design were artists from Karlsruhe: sculptor Hermann Volz (link in German), who designed the grave monuments, his student Wilhelm Sauer (link in German), who designed the busts for the crossing pillars, and Hermann Binz (link in German), who designed the griffin heads in the crypt.

Cenotaphs of Grand Duke Friedrich I & his wife Grand Duchess Luise; Credit – Thomas Steg, Karlsruhe, Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17869659

The upper church contains large cenotaphs, empty tombs, designed by sculptor Hermann Volz, of Grand Duke Friedrich I, his wife Grand Duchess Luise, and their son Prince Ludwig Wilhelm. Their actual tombs are in the crypt on the lower level, along with the tombs of other members of the Grand Ducal Family.

Cenotaph of Prince Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden; Credit – Thomas Steg, Karlsruhe, Selbst fotografiert – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17869783

Burials in the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel

Tomb of Prince Wilhelm of Baden (1829 – 1897); Credit – Thomas Steg, Karlsruhe (Benutzer:TSteg, eigenes Foto) – Selbst fotografiert

From the upper church, wide steps lead down into the crypt. Behind a two-part, wrought-iron gate is the crypt, a bright and welcoming room containing the coffins of Baden family members.

Below are the family members who died before 1888 and were originally buried in the crypt of the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe (Evangelical City Church in Karlsruhe). After the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was severely damaged during World War II, all those buried there were moved to the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe in 1946, and they have remained interred there.

Below are the other family members who died after 1888 and are buried in the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005). Kirchengebäude in Karlsruhe. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fherzogliche_Grabkapelle_Karlsruhe
  • Baden Royal Burial Sites. (2017). Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/grand-duchy-of-baden/baden-royal-burial-sites/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Evangelical City Church Karlsruhe. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/evangelical-city-church
  • Großherzogliche Grabkapelle – Stadtwiki Karlsruhe. (2020). Stadtwiki.net. https://ka.stadtwiki.net/Gro%C3%9Fherzogliche_Grabkapelle
  • Großherzogliche Grabkapelle Karlsruhe: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg. (2024). Grabkapelle-Karlsruhe.de. https://www.grabkapelle-karlsruhe.de/

Stadtkirche Karlsruhe in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Evangelical City Church (Stadtkirche Karlsruhe) in Karlsruhe, Germany; Credit – Andreas Praefcke – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18523533

History

Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden; Credit – Wikipedia

The Evangelische Stadtkirche Karlsruhe (Evangelical City Church Karlsruhe in English) was built between 1807 and 1816, during the reign of Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden, on the Market Square in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. (The church will be referred to as Stadtkirche Karlsruhe.) The Stadtkirche Karlsruhe is the main church of the Evangelical Church in Baden, a member of the Evangelical Church in Germany, also known as the Protestant Church in Germany, a federation of twenty Lutheran, Reformed, and United Protestant regional Churches in Germany.

In 1738, ten-year-old Karl Friedrich succeeded as Margrave of Baden-Durlach upon his grandfather’s death. Baden-Durlach was one of the branches of the Margraviate of Baden, which had been divided several times over the previous 500 years. When August Georg, the last Margrave of Baden-Baden, died in 1771 without heirs, Karl Friedrich inherited the territory. This brought all the Baden territories together, and Karl Friedrich became Margrave of Baden. When the Holy Roman Empire ended in 1806, Karl Friedrich declared himself sovereign, as Grand Duke, of the newly created Grand Duchy of Baden.

Architect and city planner, Friedrich Weinbrenner (1766 – 1826), who was born in Karlsruhe, designed the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe as a neoclassical basilica. Weinbrenner is principally responsible for creating Karlsruhe’s neoclassical-style buildings. Most of Weinbrenner’s buildings were reconstructed in the 1950s following their destruction in World War II, including the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe.

Design and Construction

Friedrich Weinbrenner, architect of the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe; Credit – Wikipedia

The Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was built according to the plans of architect Friedrich Weinbrenner, with much input from Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden, who intended the church to be the cathedral church of the Grand Duchy of Baden. Weinbrenner designed the church, a three-aisle basilica, based on a Greek temple, and Grand Duke Karl Friedrich insisted on a bell tower. The vestibule, with six Corinthian columns, is directly opposite the Karlsruhe city hall. The foundation stone was laid on June 8, 1807, and the church was consecrated on June 2, 1816.

Stadtkirche Karlsruhe’s original interior; Credit – Friedrich Weinbrenner und die Evangelische Stadtkirche in Karlsruhe

Architect Friedrich Weinbrenner designed the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe’s original interior. The Resurrection of Christ, a painting by Ferdinand Jagemann, was above the altar. The interior could not be completed as Weinbrenner originally intended due to a lack of funds.

World War II Destruction

Karlsruhe City Hall and the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe after the 1944 bombing; Credit – Archive Schlitz of the Educational Association Region Karlsruhe

During World War II, on December 4, 1944, the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was severely damaged by bombing. It was rebuilt under the supervision of German architect, urban planner, and university lecturer Horst Linde (link in German). Linde won the architectural competition for the reconstruction of the city center in Karlsruhe, which included reconstructing the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe. The exterior was based on Friedrich Weinbrenner’s original plans, but the new interior was in a modern style. The newly built church was consecrated on November 30, 1958.

The New Interior of the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe

Credit – By Gerd Eichmann – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=120206830

After the destruction during World War II, the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe’s interior was redesigned in a modern style. In keeping with the architectural style of the 1950s, the materials used were stone, concrete, wood, steel, and leather.

The altar; Credit – By Gerd Eichmann – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=120206831

The new interior is lighter and wider, with a breakthrough in the front wall where the altar now stands.

Credit – By Beckstet – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24502222

There are no paintings or statues, and instead of the original Corinthian columns, there are light columns. The ceiling is vaulted instead of the original coffered ceiling.

Burials

From 1538, Saint Michael’s Church in Pforzheim was the burial site of the Ernestine line of the House of Baden. Until 1860, almost all members of that branch of the House of Baden were buried at St. Michael’s Church.

Karl Friedrich, the first Grand Duke of Baden, intended the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe to be the burial site for members of the Grand Ducal family. However, he died in 1811, before the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was complete, and was interred at Saint Michael’s Church in Pforzheim. Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden, was the first family member interred at the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe. After 1888, most family members were interred at the Grand Ducal Chapel in Karlsruhe. (article coming)

After the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe was severely damaged during World War II, all those buried there were moved to the Grand Ducal Burial Chapel in Karlsruhe in 1946, and they have remained interred there.

During the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe’s reconstruction after World War II, the remains of its architect, Friedrich Weinbrenner, were transferred from the Old Cemetery in Karlsruhe (link in German) to the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe’s crypt. In 1991, the crypt was converted into an exhibition space.

Originally buried at the Stadtkirche Karlsruhe:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005). Kirchengebäude in Karlsruhe. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelische_Stadtkirche_Karlsruhe
  • Evangelische Stadtkirche – Stadtwiki Karlsruhe. (2017). Stadtwiki.net. https://ka.stadtwiki.net/Evangelische_Stadtkirche
  • Mehl, Scott. Baden Royal Burial Sites. (2017). Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/former-monarchies/german-royals/grand-duchy-of-baden/baden-royal-burial-sites/
  • Stadtkirche. (2025). Kirche Im Herzen Der Stadt: Alt- Und Mittelstadtgemeinde Karlsruhe. https://www.stadtkirche-karlsruhe.de/unsere-kirchen/stadtkirche/
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Friedrich Weinbrenner. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2019). Karlsruhe. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlsruhe

Saint Michael‘s Church in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

St. Michael’s Church in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Credit – Wikipedia

History

Originally a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, and then a Lutheran church after the Protestant Reformation, Saint Michael‘s Church, located in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is currently a member of the Evangelical Church in Germany, a federation of twenty Lutheran, Reformed, and United Protestant regional Churches in Germany. Saint Michael’s Church is owned by the state of Baden-Württemberg, and is rented to the Evangelical Church in Pforzheim.

From 1538, Saint Michael’s Church was designated as the burial place of the Ernestine line of the House of Baden. Until 1860, almost all members of that branch of the House of Baden were buried at St. Michael’s Church. In 1556, Karl II, Margrave of Baden-Durlach introduced the Protestant Reformation in the Margraviate of Baden, and Saint Michael’s Church became a Lutheran church.

In 1220, Herman V, Margrave of Baden chose Pforzheim as his residence. Five years later, a castle was built that became the residence of the Margraves of Baden and their descendants. Because Saint Michael’s Church was so close to the castle, it was often called Schlosskirche (Castle Church).

Saint Michael’s Church and the archive tower of the castle built by Herman V, Margrave of Baden are the last surviving medieval structures in Pforzheim. Pforzheim’s other medieval structures were destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648), the Nine Years’ War (1688 – 1697), and most recently in World War II (1939 – 1945).

In 1535, the Margraviate of Baden was split into the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach and the Margraviate of Baden-Baden. In 1565, Karl II, Margrave of Baden-Durlach chose Durlach as his new residential town. However, Pforzheim remained one of the administrative centers. In 1738, ten-year-old Karl Friedrich succeeded as Margrave of Baden-Durlach upon his grandfather’s death. Baden-Durlach was one of the branches of the Margraviate of Baden, which had been divided several times over the previous 500 years. When August Georg, Margrave of Baden-Baden, died in 1771 without heirs, his territory was inherited by Karl Friedrich. This brought all of the Baden territories together once again, and Karl Friedrich became Margrave of Baden. Upon the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, Karl Friedrich declared himself sovereign, as Grand Duke, of the newly created Grand Duchy of Baden. In 1918, after Germany’s defeat in World War I, all the constituent monarchies in the German Empire, including the Grand Duchy of Baden, were abolished. The land encompassing the Grand Duchy of Baden is now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Interior of St. Michael’s Church; Credit – Von SchiDD – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42939836

Saint Michael’s Church was built on the site of a Romanesque church between 1225 and 1475 in the Romanesque and late Gothic style. The first nave was completed around 1270. The choir and Saint Margaret’s Chapel were built between 1290 and 1310. Around 1470, Pforzheim stonemason Hans Spryss von Zaberfeld built a late Gothic choir at the eastern end and a rood screen between the choir and the nave. The church was damaged during the Nine Years’ War (1688 – 1697), but extensive restoration work was not carried out until the 19th century.

Hans Spryss von Zaberfeld’s rood screen; Credit – Von Moleskine – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76589652

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World War II Destruction

The Pforzheim in 1946; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 23, 1945, Pforzheim was nearly totally destroyed in an air raid by 379 British bombers within 22 minutes.  At least 17,600 people, a third of the population, were killed. St. Michael’s Church avoided destruction, but the bombing caused severe damage.

Pforzheim before the bombing. St. Michael’s Church can be seen in the upper right. Credit – https://www.foerderverein-schlosskirche.de/schlosskirche

The damage to St. Michael’s Church from World War II bombing; Credit – https://www.foerderverein-schlosskirche.de/schlosskirche

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Restoration

The State Building Authority supervised the restoration of Saint Michael’s Church after World War II with the support of the Friends of the Castle Church Foundation. German sculptor Oskar Loos (1903 – 1990) recreated the sculptures. The stained-glass windows in the choir were created by German painter and stained glass artist Charles Crodel, in collaboration with German architect Hermann Hampe (link in German).

The church’s portal, covered with bronze plates, was created in 1959 by German sculptor Jürgen Weber (link in German). Six biblical scenes appear in the work. The pulpit was designed by German painter, restorer, and glass painter Valentin Peter Feuerstein. (link in German).

Stained glass windows by Klaus Arnold; Credit – Von Moleskine – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75940522

In 1966, Klaus Arnold (1928 – 2009), German sculptor, painter, and professor at Karlsruhe Art Academy, was commissioned to design the windows of the nave of Saint Michael’s Church. His colored stained glass windows are spectacular works of post-war modern art. Arnold complemented the early Gothic architecture with its heavy pillars and cave-like side aisles with a dark, glowing color palette of blue, red, and orange tones in the abstract stained glass windows.

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Burial Site

From 1538, Saint Michael’s Church was designated as the burial place of the Ernestine line of the House of Baden. Until 1860, almost all members of that branch of the House of Baden, which had become Protestant, were buried at St. Michael’s Church. The chancel contains grave markers of family members, and a two-chamber crypt is located under the floor.

1840 steel engraving by Louis Friedrich Hoffmeister – The Princely Crypt of the House of Baden in the St. Michael’s Church. In the center, brightly lit is August Moosbrugger’s 1833 monument to Karl Friedrich, first Grand Duke of Baden, which was destroyed in the World War II bombing. r; Credit – Wikipedia

Burials at Saint Michael’s Church

Note: This does not purport to be a complete list.

Works Cited

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  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Margraviate of Baden. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Pforzheim. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Współtwórcy projektów Fundacji Wikimedia. (2024, July 25). Kolegiata zamkowa św. Michała w Pforzheimie. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolegiata_zamkowa_%C5%9Bw._Micha%C5%82a_w_Pforzheimie

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Schleswig, Germany 

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Ziko – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50332912

Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Schleswig, Germany, named for Saint Peter the Apostle, is also called Schleswig Cathedral. The first cathedral in Schleswig was built after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Schleswig was founded in 947. However, neither the size nor the exact location of this cathedral is known. Before the Protestant Reformation, the cathedral was a Roman Catholic church. Now Saint Peter’s Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of the Schleswig and Holstein Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany. Rulers of the Duchy of Schleswig, the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, and the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and their families are buried at Saint Peter’s Cathedral.

Cnut Lavard, son of King Eric I of Denmark, the first Duke of Schleswig; Credit – Wikipedia

The cathedral has connections to Denmark, and some Danish royals are buried in the cathedral. In 1115, King Niels of Denmark created his nephew Cnut Lavard, son of his predecessor King Eric I of Denmark, Earl of Schleswig. Cnut Lavard used the title Earl of Schleswig for only a short time before he began to style himself Duke of Schleswig. In 1544, Adolf of Denmark, his brother Johann of Denmark, and their half-brother King Christian III of Denmark, all sons of King Frederik I of Denmark,  divided and then ruled the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, also known as Ducal Holstein, were ruled for two hundred years by various Dukes of Schleswig and Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, a branch of the elder Danish line of the German House of Oldenburg. Other parts of the duchies were ruled by the Kings of Denmark. In 1721, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp lost their power when their land holdings became part of Denmark. After the 1864 Second Schleswig War, Schleswig and Holstein were annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.

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The Construction of Saint Peter’s Cathedral

Interior of St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Frank Vincentz – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30812608

Around 1030, the construction of a new Romanesque cathedral began and would continue over several hundred years. During the reign of Cnut Lavard, the first Duke of Schleswig (reigned 1115 – 1134), the semicircular apse was built and the transept was built 1180 – 1200. During renovations between 1200 and 1500, the Romanesque nave cathedral became a Gothic three-nave hall cathedral. The vaulted cathedral chapter house in the northern aisle was added around 1220 – 1230 and the nave vault around 1230 – 1270. Originally, the cathedral had two towers, but they collapsed in 1275 and were not rebuilt.

The cathedral did not have a tower until German architect and archaeologist Friedrich Adler constructed a 112-meter/368-foot Neo-Gothic tower between 1888 and 1894 at the request of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia.

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Saint Peter’s Portal

Saint Peter’s Portal; Credit – Wikipedia

The cathedral’s main entrance is the 1180 St. Peter’s Portal. It was constructed using granite, red sandstone from Scania, limestone from Gotland, and tuff (a light, porous volcanic rock) from the Rhineland. The tympanum (the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, door, or window) depicts Jesus Christ between the evangelists and saints.

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The Sacristy

The sacristy, where the priest and attendants put on their vestments and prepare for services, was built around 1480. It served as the meeting place for the cathedral chapter (the group of clerics formed to advise a bishop) and after 1567, as a lecture hall for the cathedral school. After the Protestant Reformation, it was converted into a burial crypt for the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp.

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The Choir

The choir is the part of a cathedral between the altar and the nave, the central aisle. The choir of Saint Peter’s Cathedral was expanded and painted at the end of the 13th century. The frescoes depict the Annunciation, the Coronation of Mary, Saint Catherine, Saint Philip, Saint Peter, the Deesis (Christ enthroned holding a book with the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist at his sides), and angels. The choir stalls were built at the beginning of the 16th century by an unknown artist using the pseudonym Magister Rusticus.

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The Schwahl

The Schwahl; Credit – By Kirchenfloh – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116866810

In Danish-Low German, Schwahl means “half-open corridor outside a building.” The Schwahl is located on the north side of the nave and was built from brick 1310 – 1320. It is a corridor leading to the cloisters and a processional corridor leading out of the cathedral and back into the cathedral. Restored frescoes on the wall panels depicting the life of Jesus are from the time of construction. Mythical creatures are depicted on the vaults, the arched ceiling. The Schwahl is not regularly open to the public to protect the frescoes from dirt and condensation.

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The Brüggemann Altar

The Brüggemann Altar; Credit – By W. Bulach – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75089166

The impressive Brüggemann Altar was made of oak by Hans Brüggemann, a German sculptor and woodcarver, between 1514 and 1521. The huge altar – 12.60 meters/42 feet high – depicts sixteen scenes from Christ’s Passion with a total of more than 400 finely carved unpainted figures. The altar was originally made for Bordesholm Abbey, then in the Duchy of Holstein. After the abbey’s dissolution due to the Protestant Reformation, Christian Albrecht, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, who is buried in St. Peter’s Cathedral,  arranged for the altar’s transfer to St. Peter’s Cathedral in 1666.

Detail from the Brüggemann Altar – Jesus carrying the cross; Credit – By Uli Poppe Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7616563

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Cenotaph of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein

Cenotaph of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia by Von Arnoldius

In the north choir nave, there is a cenotaph, an empty tomb, created by Flemish sculptor Cornelis Floris de Vriendt for Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, and erected in the cathedral in 1552. Frederik I, who died in 1533, was the last Roman Catholic monarch of Denmark. He is buried in St. Peter’s Cathedral but the location of his burial is unknown.

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Burials at St. Peter’s Cathedral

Sarcophagi at St. Peter’s Cathedral; Credit – By Västgöten – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8972859

Burials at St. Peter’s Cathedral include:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). Kirchengebäude in Schleswig. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleswiger_Dom
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2007). Wikimedia-Liste. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_von_Grabst%C3%A4tten_europ%C3%A4ischer_Monarchen
  • Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Domkirke i Sydslesvig. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slesvig_Domkirke
  • Der St. Petri-Dom zu Schleswig. (2025). Mein-Schleswiger-Dom.de. https://www.mein-schleswiger-dom.de/
  • Saint Petri Dom in Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein – Find a Grave Cemetery. (2025). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2161243/saint-petri-dom
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Schleswig Cathedral. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Hubertus, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Hubertus, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha became Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and pretender to the formal ducal throne, upon his father’s death in 2025. Hubertus is the great-grandson of the last reigning Duke, Carl Eduard.

Embed from Getty Images

Hubertus Michael, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born in Hamburg on September 16, 1975, the son of Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Carin Dabelstein. He has two siblings:

  • Princess Stephanie (1972) – married Dr. Jan Stahl, no issue
  • Prince Alexander (1977) – unmarried

Soon after his birth, his family moved back to Coburg where Hubertus attended public school. He served for two years in the Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion before leaving to attend university. Hubertus attended the University of Wurzburg (1997-1999), the London School of Economics (1999) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2000-2003), earning a degree in law. He then worked for the Provincial Court of Appeals, and then a local law firm in Munich, before moving to New York City where he worked as a lawyer for Deutsche Bank for five years.

Two years after meeting in New York, Hubertus married Kelly Rondestvedt in a civil ceremony on May 21, 2009 at Callenberg Castle, followed by a large religious ceremony held on May 23, 2009 at Saint Moritz Church in Coburg. The couple have three children:

  • Princess Katharina (2014)
  • Philipp, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2015)
  • Princess Madeleine (2017)

Hubertus returned to Coburg at the end of 2011, and the following month, he took over as Administrator of the family foundation – ‘the Stiftung der Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha’schen Familie’ which oversees and manages the family’s properties and assets, including Callenberg Gastle and Greinburg Castle and thousands of acres of farmland and forests.

Hubertus succeeded his father, who passed away on April 3, 2025.

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Breaking News: Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has died

 © Unofficial Royalty 2025

Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the pretender to the former ducal throne and Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1998 until he died on April 3, 2025, in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany, at the age of 82. He was the grandson of Charles Edward, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the only son of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria.

Prince Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus was born on March 21, 1943 at Schloss Casel in Lower Lusatia. He was the only child of Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and his first wife Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth.

On July 31, 1971, in Hamburg, Germany, Prince Andreas married Carin Dabelstein, the daughter of Adolf Dabelstein and Irma Callsen. His wife died in 2023, but Prince Andreas is survived by his three children – Princess Stephanie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1972), Hubertus, now Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha,  (born 1975), and Prince Alexander of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1977).

Prince Andreas was known for reaching out to his extended family, hoping to heal many of the wounds caused in the past, primarily after his grandfather had sided with Hitler during World War II. Following the fall of communism and the reunification of Germany, Prince Andreas worked to re-acquire former family property that had been seized after the war.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2011, Prince Andreas continued to be as active as possible. He spent much time with family and friends, traveling, and visiting his properties in Germany and Austria. He was a first cousin and close friend of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and was the godfather of the King’s younger daughter, Princess Madeleine. Because of this relationship, the Prince was often seen in attendance at Swedish royal family events.

Read more about the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Family at Unofficial Royalty: Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

Württemberg was a County, a Duchy, and an Electorate before becoming a Kingdom in 1806. It is now part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The Palace Chapel (Schlosskapelle in German) at Ludwigsburg Palace in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany was the place of worship and the traditional burial site of the Württemberg family since it was built in the early 1700s. The first King of Württemberg, Friedrich I, was the last ruler buried in the Palace Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace. His son and successor, the childless King Karl I is buried in the Schlosskirche at the Old Castle (Altes Schloss) in Stuttgart. Wilhelm II, the last King of Württemberg, King Friedrich I’s grandson, is buried in the Old Cemetery on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace.

Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – By Maulaff – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=149007837

Ludwigsburg Palace was expanded from a small hunting lodge to a monumental four-wing palace with 452 rooms between 1704 and 1816. The construction of Ludwigsburg Palace began during the reign of Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg who laid the foundation in 1704. He allowed the workers to reside for free around the palace construction. Five architects worked on Ludwigsburg Palace over the years – Philipp Joseph Jenisch (link in German), Johann Friedrich Nette, Donato Giuseppe Frisoni, Philippe de La Guêpière, and Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret. As a result of each architect’s work, Ludwigsburg Palace is a combination of Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Empire-style architecture.

The Courtyard of Ludwigsburg Palace; Credit – By Gregorini Demetrio, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52233396

The ceiling painting “Glorification of the Holy Trinity” by Carlo Carlone; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

Unusually opulent for a Protestant church, the Schlosskapelle (Palace Chapel) is located in the East Wing of Ludwigsburg Palace. It was designed by Italian architect Donato Giuseppe Frisoni and built from 1716 to 1724. Frisoni designed a two-story church interior that was circular instead of longitudinal. The rotunda of the chapel had three semi-domes. The chapel was painted by Donato Giuseppe Frisoni, Luca Antonio Colomba, Livio Retti, and Carlo Carlone, who were all restricted to Protestant doctrine for the subjects of their painting. The central dome is covered by an impressive ceiling painting “The Glorification of the Holy Trinity” by the painter Carlo Carlone.

The Ducal Box; Credit – Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

The Ducal Box Seat, painted with the biblical story of David by Livio Retti, was accessible to the ruling family directly from the second floor of their living quarters. The members of the court sat in the side galleries of the chapel.

Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg – Ludwigsburg Palace’s construction started during his reign; Credit – Wikipedia

The Palace Chapel changed religious denominations depending on whether the ruler was Protestant or Catholic. Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg, a Protestant, built it as a Protestant chapel. However, it became a Catholic chapel under the Catholic rulers Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg and Carl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg. King Friedrich I redecorated the Palace Chapel in 1798 as a Protestant chapel. Today, the Palace Chapel is a Catholic chapel.

Burials in the Royal Crypt in the Pastle Chapel at Ludwigsburg Palace

Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg had a crypt built for the Württemberg family under the Palace Chapel

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). ehemaliges Residenzschloss der Herzöge und Könige von Württemberg. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residenzschloss_Ludwigsburg
  • Ludwigsburg Residential Palace: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg. (n.d.). Www.schloss-Ludwigsburg.de. https://www.schloss-ludwigsburg.de/en/
  • Palace Chapel: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg. (2025). Schloss-Ludwigsburg.de. https://www.schloss-ludwigsburg.de/en/visitor-experience/palace-garden/buildings/palace-chapel
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Ludwigsburg Palace. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Brunswick Cathedral in Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Brunswick Cathedral with the Brunswick Lion in the foreground; Credit – By Kassandro Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1770712

Originally a Roman Catholic church, Brunswick Cathedral (Braunschweiger Dom in German) is now a Lutheran church in Brunswick in the German state of Lower Saxony. The cathedral was founded in 1173 by Heinrich der Löwe (Henry the Lion – Heinrich III, Duke of Saxony from 1142  to 1180 and also Heinrich XII, Duke of Bavaria from 1156 to 1180). Heinrich built the cathedral as a burial place for himself and his second wife Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria, the eldest daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their successors.

Dankwarderode Castle on the left, Brunswick Cathedral on the right; Credit – Wikipedia

Brunswick Cathedral was built between 1173 and 1195 on the Burgplatz (Castle Square) in Brunswick, adjacent to Dankwarderode Castle where Heinrich the Lion built his palace circa 1160 – 1175. There was direct access from the upper floor of Dankwarderode Castle to the north transept of Brunswick Cathedral. When Brunswick Cathedral was officially consecrated in 1226, it was dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket, Saint Blaise, and Saint John the Baptist. Matilda was a strong supporter of the 1173 canonization as a saint of Thomas Becket who had been murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four of her father’s knights in 1170. See Unofficial Royalty: Canterbury Cathedral for more information.

The central nave with the tomb of Heinrich the Lion and Matilda of England in the foreground; Credit – Di Photo by PtrQs, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81519784

A 1900 painting of Brunswick Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

Brunswick Cathedral was built initially built as a three-aisled Romanesque pillar basilica. The cathedral was expanded and rebuilt several times, but the nave, transept, and choir are largely preserved from the 12th-century original building.

Tomb of Matilda and Heinrich with a memorial plaque for their son Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Von Brunswyk – DE:Wiki, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4217450

On June 28, 1189, Matilda died at Brunswick at the age of 33, about a week before her father King Henry II of England died. She was buried at the still incomplete Brunswick Cathedral. Heinrich, died on August 6, 1195, aged 65 – 66, in Brunswick, and was buried next to Matilda. Their tomb is the oldest double grave of a married couple in Germany. Their effigies are still the originals, made in the first half of the thirteenth century.

Crypt of Heinrich the Lion, Sarcophagus of Heinrich (left) and Matilda (right); Credit – Von Brunswyk, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18904214

Brunswick Cathedral and the Nazis

During the Nazi regime, the Nazis used Heinrich the Lion and Brunswick Cathedral for ideological and propaganda purposes. In 1147, Heinrich the Lion’s Wendish Crusade against Polabian Slavs, also known as Wends, who lived northeast of Brunswick, resulted in their subjugation and the colonization of their territory. The Nazis tried to make Henry the Lion appear as the pioneer of their ideology. Between 1935 and 1940, the cathedral’s 19th-century interior furnishings were completely removed and the building was partially structurally and aesthetically altered to reflect Nazi ideology. The tombs of Heinrich the Lion and his wife Matilda were opened, supposedly for archaeological work, but the work lacked any scientific basis. The opening of the tombs was used as propaganda to bring attention to Heinrich the Lion and what the Nazis wanted him to represent. All this was done under the supervision of Dietrich Klagges, Prime Minister of the Free State of Brunswick from 1933 to 1945.

Adolf Hitler secretly visited Brunswick Cathedral on July 17, 1935 to observe the work. The visit did not go as Klagges intended. After the tour, Hitler declared that from now on he would be the only one to decide on the type and extent of the construction work for the conversion of the Brunswick Cathedral into a Nazi shrine. All work orders given by Klagges were canceled. To Hitler’s great annoyance, news of his secret visit quickly spread among the local people. Hitler left Brunswick after just a few hours and never returned. After World War II ended, the structural and design changes the Nazis had made to Brunswick Cathedral were largely reversed where possible, and the cathedral was able to serve as a Lutheran place of worship again.

Burials at Brunswick Cathedral

The crypt at Brunswick Cathedral; Credit – By TeWeBs – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147494393

Perhaps the two most famous burials at Brunswick Cathedral besides Heinrich the Lion and Matilda of England, are their son Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1175 -1218) and Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom (1768 – 1821), the wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom.

Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor

The seal of Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

Otto was the third son of Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Bavaria, Duke of Saxony and Matilda of England. Otto’s maternal grandparents were King Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right. Otto’s maternal uncles were King Richard I of England (the Lionheart) and King John of England. Otto spent most of his early life in England and France. He was a supporter of his uncle Richard, who created Otto Count of Poitou in 1196. With Richard’s support, he was elected King of the Romans in 1198, a step toward being Holy Roman Emperor. In 1209, Otto went to Rome to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Innocent III.

In 1210, Otto attempted to add the Kingdom of Sicily to the Holy Roman Empire, against the wishes of Pope Innocent III, who excommunicated him. Otto allied with his uncle King John of England, Count Ferrand of Flanders, Count Renaud of Boulogne, Duke Henri I of Brabant, Count William I of Holland, Duke Theobald I of Lorraine, and Duke Henry III of Limburg in an alliance against France during the Anglo-French War of 1213–1214. The coalition was soundly defeated at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214 when Otto was carried off the battlefield by his wounded and terrified horse, causing his forces to abandon the battlefield. The defeat forced Otto to withdraw to his home in Brunswick, allowing Ferderico, King of Sicily to take the German cities of Aachen and Cologne, depose Otto, and become Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II. Otto died on May 19, 1218, aged 42–43, at Harzburg Castle, now in Bad Harzburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. There is a memorial plaque to Otto on the floor near the tombs of his parents which can be seen in a photo above.

Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom

Caroline of Brunswick, Queen of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline of Brunswick was the daughter of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Augusta of Great Britain, the elder sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. In 1795, Caroline of Brunswick married her first cousin, the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. The marriage of Caroline and George is one of the worst-ever royal marriages. Upon first seeing Caroline, George said to his valet, “Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.” Caroline said George was fat and not as handsome as his portrait. It is doubtful that the couple spent more than a few nights together as husband and wife. Their only child Princess Charlotte of Wales was born nine months later. Caroline and George found each other equally unattractive and never lived together or appeared in public together. Caroline was ignored at the court and lived more or less under house arrest. After two and a half years, she left the court and lived for ten years in a Montagu House in Blackheath, London. Caroline was denied any part in raising her daughter Charlotte and only saw her occasionally. Sadly, Charlotte predeceased both her parents, dying in childbirth in 1817 at the age of 21, along with her son. Had Charlotte lived, she would have succeeded her father on the throne.

When King George III died in January 1820, Caroline was determined to return to England and assert her rights as queen. King George IV was determined to be rid of Caroline and his government introduced a bill in Parliament, the Pains and Penalties Bill 1820, to strip Caroline of the title of queen consort and dissolve her marriage. The reading of the bill in Parliament was effectively a trial of Caroline. On November 10, 1820, a final reading of the bill took place, and the bill passed by 108–99. Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool then declared that since the vote was so close and public tensions so high, the government would withdraw the bill.

King George IV’s coronation was set for July 19, 1821, but no plans had been made for Caroline to participate. On the day of the coronation, Caroline went to Westminster Abbey, was barred at every entrance, and finally left. Three weeks later on August 7, 1821, Caroline died at the age of 53, most likely from a bowel obstruction or cancer. Before her death, Caroline requested that she be buried in her native Brunswick. Caroline was interred at Brunswick Cathedral next to her father. Her casket bears the inscription, “Here lies Caroline, the Injured Queen of England.”

Tomb of Queen Caroline in the crypt at Brunswick Cathedral: Credit – www.findagrave.com

This does not purport to be a complete list of the burials at Brunswick Cathedral.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005). Kirchengebäude in Braunschweig, Niedersachsen. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunschweiger_Dom
  • Der Braunschweiger Dom: Domkirche. (2024). Braunschweigerdom.de. https://www.braunschweigerdom.de/ueberdom
  • Dom Saint Blasius in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony – Find a Grave Cemetery. (2021). Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2098911/dom-saint-blasius
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2017). Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/matilda-of-england-duchess-of-saxony/
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Brunswick Cathedral. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Henry the Lion. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Saint Boniface Abbey Church in Munich, Bavaria, Germany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Saint Boniface Abbey Church; Credit- Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15352400

Saint Boniface Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Munich, in the German state of Bavaria, formerly the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded in 1835 by King Ludwig I of Bavaria who wanted to revive Roman Catholic spiritual life by founding new monasteries. Many monasteries were destroyed or used for other purposes from 1802 to 1814 during a period of secularization,  called the German Mediatization.

Saint Boniface (born Wynfreth circa 675, martyred June 5, 754) was an English Benedictine monk who was a missionary to parts of today’s Germany during the eighth century. German Roman Catholics regard him as an important national figure. The foundation stone was laid on October 12, 1835, the 25th wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Queen Therese of Bavaria, born Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. On a side note, Ludwig and Therese’s wedding on October 12, 1810, was held in a large outdoor space in Munich called the Theresienwiese. Named for his bride, Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held every year to commemorate the wedding.

Tomb of King Ludwig I of Bavaria; Credit – Von Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62142909

In March 1848, King Ludwig I abdicated because he refused to reign as a constitutional monarch, and lost the support of his family and government ministers. Queen Therese died on October 26, 1854, and was initially buried in the royal crypt at the Theatinerkirche in Munich. Three years later, her husband had her remains moved to St. Boniface’s Abbey where he was also buried after his death on February 29, 1868.

Burial Site of Queen Therese of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

St. Boniface Abbey is located in a city, unusual for a Benedictine monastery, Monasteries were usually located near farmlands to support the monastery’s monks. King Ludwig II bought the former Andechs Abbey in Andechs, in the German state of Bavaria, secularised in 1803, along with its supporting farmlands, and gave it St. Boniface Abbey to support the monks of the monastery. In 1850, the former Andechs Abbey was refounded as a Benedictine priory affiliated with St. Boniface Abbey. Andechs Abbey served as a burial place for the House of Wittelsbach, the ruling family in Bavaria, since the Middle Ages.

Besides Andechs Abbey, members of the House of Wittelsbach are interred at the Theatinerkirche in Munich, the  Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Munich, and the  Michaelskirche (St. Michael’s Church) in Munich. In 1977, Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, Head of the House of Wittelsbach and pretender to the former Bavarian throne from 1955 until he died in 1996, set up a Wittelsbach private family cemetery in the Andechs Abbey garden due to the lack of space in the other Wittelsbach burial sites. The private family cemetery complex is now the main burial place of the Wittelsbach family.

An 1862 drawing of St. Boniface Abbey Church; Credit – Wikipedia

The architecture of the Saint Boniface Abbey Church, designed by the architect Georg Friedrich Ziebland (link in German), was based on early Christian basilicas. King Ludwig I sent Ziebland on a two-year study trip (1827 – 1829) to Italy to study Roman basilicas. For the Saint Boniface Abbey Church, Ziebland was inspired by Early Christian architecture and Byzantine architecture, using the round arch style and a terracotta and brick combination.

Saint Boniface Abbey Church interior before it was damaged during World War II; Credit – Wikipedia

St Boniface Abbey Church reconstructed by Hans Döllgast, 1948–1950, photographed before 1971; Credit – Hans Döllgast, post-war reconstruction and modern architecture

During World War II, on April 25, 1944 and January 7, 1945, Saint Boniface Abbey Church was badly damaged. German architect, graphic artist, and university professor Hans Döllgast (link in German), who worked on many post-war reconstruction projects, reconstructed the interior of the abbey church between 1948 and 1950. The nave was shortened to about a third of its original length. Nothing remained of the mosaics and frescoes in the style of Roman basilicas.

In 1988, a competition was announced that would enable the redecoration of the church’s interior. German painter Peter Burkart created a frieze of colored paintings above the arcades (a series of joined arches used to create a covered walkway or area).

The current interior of St. Boniface Abbey Church. Painter Peter Burkart’s frieze of colored paintings, mentioned above. can be seen. Credit – Von Digital cat – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43876001

Friedrich Koller created the relief over the interior portal with the end of time speech from the Gospel of Matthew verse 24, where Jesus describes signs and events that will precede his return. In the left aisle is a Stations of the Cross with colored prints created by Bernd Hendl between. Nearby is a sculpture by Christine Stadler of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary.

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Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2004). Benediktinerkloster in München. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abtei_St._Bonifaz_(M%C3%BCnchen)
  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2008, June 25). Georg Friedrich Ziebland Deutscher Architekt und Baumeister. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Friedrich_Ziebland
  • Sternberg, Maximilian. (2022). Hans Döllgast, post-war reconstruction and modern architecture. The Journal of Architecture, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602365.2022.2086152
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). St. Boniface’s Abbey. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.