St. Servatius Church is a late Gothic, three-aisled hall church. After a devastating fire, its interior today presents itself in the late Art Nouveau style.
St. Servatius Church, popularly known as the "Unterkirche", stands as a kind of counterpart to the Oberkirche at the end of Marktstraße to the west on Untermarkt. It is a late Gothic three-aisled hall church. The most recent date of its construction (1520) can be found on a keystone in the vault of the front nave, which depicts St. Servatius. However, construction began much earlier, around 1370. It stands on the site where the former Palatine Chapel, which has since proved to be dilapidated, may have stood.
St. Servatius Church is smaller (42 m long and 19 m wide) than its sister church, the Basilica of St. Cyriacus, and has a simpler, more austere style. Throughout its eventful history, the church has retained its pure late Gothic style. From 1714, it was richly decorated in the Baroque style and had 8 altars at the time. A high altar, of which the oil-painted image of the crucifixion at the front of the north aisle is still preserved. There is also a beautiful baptismal font carved from lime wood, which stands in the choir and is still used today.
On 17.06.1915, the church, which had only been completely renovated for its anniversary in 1908, was destroyed by a catastrophic fire, with the exception of a few baroque objects. The Gothic epitaph of the von Wehren family from 1383 was also slightly damaged by the collapsing choir vault. The church was restored between 1915 and 1928 at the great sacrifice of the parish and with the help of the town. All the woodwork in the church interior and the windows date from 1917 and are decorated with typical features of the late Art Nouveau style. The 15 pictures painted by Prof. Jordan (Hanover) in 1917 on the organ loft depict the testimony of the Word of God. The organ by Jürgen Ahrend is considered one of the most beautiful works in southern Lower Saxony. With its mechanical action, it was built in 1977 to replace the pneumatic organ from 1930. The resounding organ case was harmoniously integrated into the Art Nouveau style that dominates the church. At 64 m, the tower is around 10 m taller than its predecessor. Its spire is an expression of the Expressionism of the 1920s.
St. Servatius Church is smaller (42 m long and 19 m wide) than its sister church, the Basilica of St. Cyriacus, and has a simpler, more austere style. Throughout its eventful history, the church has retained its pure late Gothic style. From 1714, it was richly decorated in the Baroque style and had 8 altars at the time. A high altar, of which the oil-painted image of the crucifixion at the front of the north aisle is still preserved. There is also a beautiful baptismal font carved from lime wood, which stands in the choir and is still used today.
On 17.06.1915, the church, which had only been completely renovated for its anniversary in 1908, was destroyed by a catastrophic fire, with the exception of a few baroque objects. The Gothic epitaph of the von Wehren family from 1383 was also slightly damaged by the collapsing choir vault. The church was restored between 1915 and 1928 at the great sacrifice of the parish and with the help of the town. All the woodwork in the church interior and the windows date from 1917 and are decorated with typical features of the late Art Nouveau style. The 15 pictures painted by Prof. Jordan (Hanover) in 1917 on the organ loft depict the testimony of the Word of God. The organ by Jürgen Ahrend is considered one of the most beautiful works in southern Lower Saxony. With its mechanical action, it was built in 1977 to replace the pneumatic organ from 1930. The resounding organ case was harmoniously integrated into the Art Nouveau style that dominates the church. At 64 m, the tower is around 10 m taller than its predecessor. Its spire is an expression of the Expressionism of the 1920s.