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 monks. 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.

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.

The spire was added in 1607 by Elias Holl.