Church of Saint Laurent in Grevenmacher - Discover this open and welcoming religious building

Church | XVIII | Neoclassical | Catholic Church

Disabled access Organ

Map

Opening hours

01 January - 31 December
Mon 8.00 - 18.00
Tue 8.00 - 18.00
Wed 8.00 - 18.00
Thu 8.00 - 18.00
Fri 8.00 - 18.00
Sat 8.00 - 18.00
Sun 8.00 - 18.00

Description

The Grevenmacher parish church, dedicated to the Roman deacon and martyr Lawrence, was a deanery church from 1820 until 2017 and has since then had the status of a national monument. It has a long and eventful history. The church was erected in 1782-83 in accordance with the architectural plans of Johann Anton Neurohr of Trier. It was transformed and renovated several times. It is a simple and unpretentiously built single-nave church whose striking features include the monumental glass window from the 1950s, a Westenfelder organ built into the tower in 1983 as well as many other artistic works.

The four bells in the tower (Laurentius I, Donatus, Maria, Laurentius II) and the smallest one (Nicolas) in the roof truss above the altar also tell stories. For example, the "fire bell" (Laurentius I) was recast in 1824 from the metal of the bell that had melted in the fire of 1822.

Photos

Remarkable elements

Church Tower

In contrast to its predecessor, the new church was built on to the historical watch and defence tower in the middle of the once fortified town. Access to the church is via this impressive tower, with its massive walls, that once gave protection to the Grevenmacher citizens when danger threatened and was sometimes also used as a prison.

Lectern

The lectern is the work of the South Tyrol sculptor, Peppi Rifesser, purchased for the church restoration from 1978-1981 which, together with the altar, baptismal font and tabernacle (also all by Rifesser) forms a harmonious whole. The eye is especially struck by the painted polychrome vine motif appropriate to the wine region to which Grevenmacher belongs. The vine motif also decorates the organ case.

Crucifixion Relief

The baroque coloured stone crucifixion relief in the left front side wall, on which the crucifixion scene is portrayed with the silhouette of a town in the background, comes from the early 17th century and is of major art historical value.

Pulpit

The coloured stone pulpit showing four evangelists together with their attributes dates from the late 17th century. Access to the pulpit, guarded by baroque angels, is only from the sacristy.

Church Windows

The monumental and high quality figurative stained-glass ensemble in the nave was commissioned by Camille Croat at the end of the 1950’s. It portrays is the church’s patron St Lawrence next to the silhouette of the Grevenmacher parish church, as well as other saints whose worship was linked to the history of the parish or the Moselle region.

The Way of Salvation

Since the end of 2012 a special series of ceramic tiles has decorated the side walls of the nave. It depictsthe Way of Salvation from the Garden of Eden through the life and death of Jesus up to the regaining of Paradise. It is the work of the Benedictine nun Mercédès Cailleteau.

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