Churches

Evangelical town church in Kitzingen

The Protestant town church is an impressive Baroque building and the largest Protestant church in Lower Franconia. It was designed around 1685 by the Italian master builder Antonio Petrini - originally, however, as a Catholic church. It was not until 1817 that it became a Protestant town church following an exchange.

A Benedictine convent previously stood on this site, which was destroyed and remodelled several times over the centuries. Reformation, change of denomination and the secularisation of 1802 shaped the eventful history of the building, which at times even served as a hospital and warehouse.

After severe war damage in 1945, the church was rebuilt until 1950. Today, its wide, simple interior with baroque stucco, the historic baptismal font and the high altar with its large wooden crucifix are impressive. The 66 metre high tower rises high above the town with five bells - including the Vater-Unser-Glocke, one of the largest Protestant church bells in Bavaria.

Balthasar Neumann Chapel of the Cross

The Catholic chapel "Zum Heiligen Kreuz" in Etwashausen was built between 1741 and 1745 by none other than Balthasar Neumann, the famous master builder of the Würzburg Residence.

The distinctive cruciform shape characterises the building both inside and out. Inside, the freestanding domed rotunda at the crossing draws the eye, whilst outside, the elegant
single-tower façade defines its appearance. Until the introduction of the euro, the floor plan of the Kreuzkapelle was even featured on the 50-mark note – a fine testament to its architectural significance.

The floor plan follows the Latin cross and refers to the so-called patrocinium, i.e. the patronage of a saint over the church. The Chapel of the Cross can only be viewed through a glass barrier.

Old Synagogue

The synagogue, built by master builder Michael Korbacher according to the plans of the municipal building engineer Christoph Schneider, was officially opened in September 1883. The Moorish-style building has two retracted towers crowned with domes. The interior of the synagogue with its precious furnishings and religious objects as well as the domed towers fell victim to the fire on the so-called "Reichspogromnacht" from 9 to 10 November 1938. The listed building was then used for other purposes. As Kitzingen consciously wanted to remember its Jewish fellow citizens, the synagogue was completely restored in 1991/1992 and put to a new cultural use in 1993. Due to the good acoustics, concerts, cabaret, lectures etc. take place there. The starry sky in the entrance area is particularly worth seeing. A synagogue in the synagogue with a prayer room and Jewish archive with library are reminders of the original synagogue. The former mikvah (ritual immersion bath) is located in the basement.