Temple St.-Etienne
on
Place de Reunion

Temple St.-Etienne
Mulhouse, France

"With a population of 112,063 in 2013 and 284,739 inhabitants in the metropolitan area^[2]in 2012, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhindépartement...Mulhouse;... is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders.

"Mulhouse is famous for its museums, especially the Cité de l’Automobile  and the Musée Français du Chemin de Ferrespectively the largest automobile and railway museums in the world. 

"...the first written records of the town date from the twelfth century....it became a part of France in the Treaty of Mulhousesigned on 28 January 1798,,,,

"The town's development was stimulated first by the expansion of the textile industry and tanning, and subsequently by chemical and engineering industries from the mid 18th century. Mulhouse was for a long time called the French Manchester. Consequently, the town has enduring links with Louisiana, from which it imported cotton,..." (Link 1.)

Temple St.-Etienne

"The origin of the Saint-Etienne temple is very old. A new style building novel is dedicated in 1186 . In 1351 , the choir , rebuilt in the Gothic style , is in turn consecrated.

"The collaterals are rebuilt in 1504 . The tower is elevated in 1510 .

In 1523 , persecuted in the region by the Protestants, Catholics were then driven from the Saint-Etienne church to give place to the Reformed cult. The tower has a baroque bulb in 1707 . The temple is destroyed in 1858.

"In the middle of the xix ^th  century, the city council decided to build a new building. The neo-Gothic plans are made by architect Jean-Baptiste Schacre . The first stone is laid in 1859 . The official inauguration of the building took place in 1866 .

Temple St.-Etienne Spire

"The spire of the bedside tower is 97 meters high. It is not only the highest bell tower of the Haut-Rhin but also the highest Protestant bell tower in France.

"The temple has been classified as a historical monument since 27 July 1995 1 .

"The temple is undergoing major exterior and interior restoration works, begun in February 2009 and planned to last until 2019. This work, which must eventually cover the entire building, began with the complete scaffolding of the bell tower.

"Among the works of art recovered from the old church, particular include the exceptional set of stained glass windows of the xiv ^th  century.

• 

  David kills Goliath (stained glass)
 
• 

  David kills 800 enemies
 
• 

  Babel Tower

"When drawing the plans for the church, the architect Schacre was required to reserve them a prime location.

"The building has also kept stalls from 1637.

"The rest of the furniture dates from the construction. The organ of the Walcker Manufactory in Ludwigsburg dating back to 1866, which includes since its enlargement in 1953 a total of 70 games, is worth noting . The small choir organ of the Guerrier manufacture of Willer dates from 1978 . The owner of these instruments is Olivier Wyrwas.

"The high tower is also home to the largest bells of Protestant bells in France, cast in 1867 in Zurich ."(Link 2.)

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Photos: Taken in June 2018 with an Iphone by Richard Wilson while living and 
               working in Basel Switzerland.
Link 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulhouse
Link 2: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Saint-%C3%89tienne_de_Mulhouse

                                                                            Prayer

God, be with persecuted Christians throughout the world. Amen (SW.)

Church Saint Bernard-de-Menthon

Church Saint Bernard-de-Menthon

Ferrette, France

Ferrette

Ferrette

         (Link 1:)  Ferrette, France

"The church is Ferrette one of the oldest churches in Alsace. Indeed, the base of the great tower which still forms the main body of the choir of this church may have been one of many square towers built by Rome in the fourth century... 

                                                   Church Bernard-de-Menthon

"...in 1053 and founded their priory near the old tower. Soon the weep holes and loopholes of the tower disappeared and Catholic worship was officially established there.

"Towards the end of the twelfth century, ...  A hole was drilled in the big tower before which a nave was built. In the thirteenth century a Gothic choir was opened on the opposite side of the tower. It is of Gothic style primitive or lancets as evidenced arc tip used in windows that are tall, narrow and twinned. The columns are also slender, alone or grouped and foothills outside are essential to the strength of the work: so for 700 years nothing has moved.

Sanctuary

" By the end of the fourteenth century, the church appears again too small and heavy and massive nave is built as worship but also, if necessary, to defense.

Side Altar

"In 1728, the only entrance to the church which was at the right aid to the upper town is walled and a new entry in the axis of the nave replaces it with a double door protected by a simple porch. In 1792, the ferrettiens transported two of the three bells foundry Belfort to make cannons. After the revolution, the church and the priory were declared national property and the church was closed until 1804 when it was returned to worship.

Front Altar

"From June 1906 to August 1910, several

 projects were proposed and a final draft was agreed in July 1911 for an amount of 114,000 marks. The old nave is then completely demolished and there remains only the tower and the choir classified MH since 1902.

                                               Balcony and Rear of Sanctuary

"The new neo-Gothic nave is higher and longer than the former and the architect managed to harmoniously integrate with the tower and the choir. A large arch separates the warhead of the great tower. It consists of five bays whose cornerstone has an armorial shield recalling the historical past of Ferrette.

"To regulate the proportions of the new nave with the old tower was raised it 6 m and by that also the belfry, but still maintain the roof gable. " (Link 2.)

"Saint Bernard of Menthon, C.R.S.A., (or Bernard of Montjoux) was the founder of the famed hospiceand monastery which has served travelers for nearly a millennium as a refuge in the most dangerous part of the Swiss Alps.^[The famous breed of St. Bernard dogswere named after the hospice as they were bred to help on rescue missions during winter storms." (Link 3.)

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Photos: Taken in June 2018 with an Iphone by Richard Wilson while living and working in Basel Switzerland.

Link 1: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrette
Link 2: https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/ferrette-26981/church-saint-bernard-menthon-16580.htm
Link 3:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Menthon

                                                                  Prayer

God, be with persecuted Christians throughout the world. Amen (SW.)