St. Anne's Church, Augsburg

St. Anne's Church (German: St. Anna-Kirche) in Augsburg, Germany, is a medieval church building that was originally part of a monastery built in 1321. It is notable for its elaborate interior decoration.

History

St. Anne's was built in 1321 by Carmelite friars. In 1518 Martin Luther stayed there with the Carmelite friars when he was in Augsburg to meet the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, who wanted Luther to submit to the pope. The church converted to Lutheranism in 1545.

On October 31, 1999, representatives of the Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran churches signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in the Church of St. Anna. This is considered one of the most important events for the ecumenical movement. After a long period of closure, the Lutherstiege was reopened in 2012. A comprehensive renovation was completed in 2016/17.

List of preachers from 1545-
1545 M. Johann Heinrich Held
1551 Johann Mattsperger(Interim)
1551 Kaspar Huberinus
1552 M. Johann Meckhardt
1559 M. Georg Eckhard
1568 M. Martin Rieger
1579 Dr. Georg Müller(Mylius)
1584 Matthaüs Herbst
1586 Stephan Engelbronner
1586 Johannes Baier
1589 Johann Rosslin
1592 M. Georg Riederer
1593 M. Kaspar Sauter

The building

The church ceiling is decorated with Baroque and Rococo stuccowork, with frescoes by Johann Georg Bergmüller. The Goldsmith's Chapel (Goldschmiedkapelle) was donated in 1420 by Conrad and Afra Hirn.

The Fugger chapel, which is the burial chapel of the Fuggers, is the earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany. It was endowed in 1509 by Ulrich and Jakob Fugger. Among the features are a marble pavement, an organ with painted shutters, stained glass, choir stalls, a sculptural group of the Lamentation of Christ, and memorial relief tablets in the style of Dürer.

Jakob Fugger is buried here.

The spire was added in 1607 by Elias Holl.