St. Mariä Geburt, located in the charming town of Kempen in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture that has stood the test of time. This Catholic parish church, part of the Diocese of Aachen, is not just a place of worship but a repository of rich history and art that has survived through centuries, including the tumultuous times of World War II.
The origins of St. Mariä Geburt date back to around 1200 when it was established under the patronage of the Gladbach Abbey. Initially, the church was a three-aisled basilica with a flat roof, which was later converted into a vaulted basilica around 1240. The 14th century saw the addition of a two-bay choir with a five-eighth closure, and around 1400, the nave was raised and newly vaulted, accompanied by the construction of a lower southern aisle.
The 15th century brought significant transformations, with the church being remodeled in several phases to its current form. Initially, a pseudo-basilica was planned, but it was later completed as a hall church. During this period, a two-story entrance hall was built in the recess between the south aisle and the ambulatory. Between 1453 and 1460, the early Gothic choir was pierced and converted into a hall ambulatory choir, and the northern aisle was built to the same height as the nave. The construction was concluded in 1482-90 with the addition of the sacristy on the north side of the choir.
The church underwent extensive restoration from 1854 to 1876. During World War II, significant parts of the church’s furnishings were evacuated, including the high altar, side altars, parts of the choir stalls, and the organ prospect. Despite the war's devastation, with bombings in 1942 and artillery damage in 1945, the church's essential elements were preserved through careful restoration efforts from 1948 to 1958. The interior was restored between 1990 and 1993, bringing back its historical color scheme.
The architecture of St. Mariä Geburt is a testament to its historical evolution. The tower is adorned with lesenes, round-arched friezes, and coupled twin sound openings. The round-arched portal was renewed in the 19th century. The gables from the 1240s renovation are topped with a high slate-covered pyramidal roof. The exterior of the nave and choir is encircled by a coffee cornice, with the buttresses covered with pent roofs and the ambulatory with individual hipped roofs. The sacristy and the northern transept are covered with saddle roofs adorned with tracery gables.
Inside, the rectangular arcades from the 1240s are crowned with ribbed vaults supported by engaged round services made of trachyte. The original pillars were preserved and reused during the renovations. The pointed arch arcades of the upper clerestory were pierced when the hall church was added. The southern clerestory of the Romanesque basilica is preserved under the aisle roof. The interior is characterized by lesenes and arch friezes, with the structural elements painted pale red with white joint lines. The ambulatory is slightly narrower than the aisles, with the polygonal walls divided to accommodate the opposing three-radiating vaults, creating unique sightlines different from those in other regional churches.
Scavenger hunts in Kempen
Discover Kempen with the digital Scavenger Hunt from myCityHunt! Solve puzzles, master team tasks and explore Kempen with your team!
The church is home to exquisite stained glass windows, mostly created by the workshop of Hertel & Lersch between 1893 and 1900, depicting scenes from the Rosary. The windows flanking the west tower feature the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and the Madonna of the Protective Mantle, created by Heinrich Dieckmann between 1935 and 1937. The choir windows, crafted by Wilhelm Geyer in 1967, illustrate the theme of following Christ. In the northern ambulatory, a heavily damaged and poorly preserved mural from 1453 depicts saints of the Franciscan order.
Among the church's rich furnishings are three Antwerp altarpieces, notable for their three-part shrines with elevated central sections and painted wings. The high altar, replaced in the 19th century by the Anna altar, was crafted by Adrian van Overbeck in Antwerp in 1513/14. The central section depicts the Holy Kinship, with scenes from the life of Saint Anne on the shrine and predella, and apocryphal scenes on the inner wings. The outer wings display the Last Judgment. The ten panel paintings on the back of the shrine depict scenes from the life of Mary.
The northern aisle houses the Antwerp retable of the James and Anthony altar from after 1520, with a 19th-century predella. The shrine features scenes from the legend of the Apostle James the Greater, the legend of Saint Lambert, and the life of Saint Anthony the Hermit. The southern aisle contains the Antwerp retable of the Marian altar from around 1520, also with a 19th-century predella. The shrine shows the Crucifixion and scenes from the life of Mary, with the crowning figure of Saint George likely an original piece.
Other notable furnishings include a tower-like sacrament house made of sandstone, created by Konrad Kuyn in 1460/61. The elegant two-story tracery tower rises above a block-like base and a rectangular tabernacle housing, with figures mostly added later. The tabernacle features the patrons of the daughter parishes, with the Madonna, Peter, and Paul in the gable crowns and Christ between angels with instruments of the Passion in the tracery tower.
The baptismal font, made of Namur blue stone around 1200, features a round basin adorned with heads and flat reliefs of mythical animals. The octagonal base is late Gothic. A three-seat celebrant's chair from 1486 bears the coat of arms of the Archbishop of Cologne, Hermann von Hessen, and the city coat of arms. The finely crafted choir stalls, made of oak by Johannes Gruter in 1492, feature relief depictions of the four church fathers and the four marshals of the Archdiocese of Cologne, with kneeling angels holding the instruments of the Passion and the city coat of arms on the sides.
The magnificent Marian chandelier, created in 1508 by the Master of the von Carben Memorial Foundation, features wrought iron arms with half-figure angels holding candles, centered around a double Madonna in a halo, crowned by two hovering angels. The chandelier is comparable to those in St. Nicolai in Kalkar, St. Aldegundis in Emmerich, and St. Lambertus in Erkelenz.
The church also houses a Pietà from around 1380, created in Cologne, though the body of Christ is missing. A revered image of the enthroned Madonna, known as the Gnadenbild, adds to the church's artistic and spiritual heritage.
St. Mariä Geburt is not just a testament to Gothic architecture but a living museum of religious art and history. Its rich heritage and enduring beauty make it a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the cultural treasures of Kempen and the broader region of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Get your Tickets now!
With myCityHunt you can discover thousands of cities around the world in exciting scavenger hunts, treasure hunts and escape games!
myCityHunt vouchers are the perfect gift for many occasions! Surprise your friends and family with this extraordinary event gift. myCityHunt gift vouchers are valid for 3 years from the date of purchase and can be used within this period for a freely selectable city and tour from the myCityHunt portfolio.