Andernach - Maria Himmelfahrt

Andernach is a very old Roman settlement in Germany. Already in the Gallic War Gaius Iulius Caesar had a bridge build in 55BC. over the Rhine in just ten days. 55 BC. The settlement was named Antunnacum and the place, where the Rhine Valley narrows near Andernach, was called "Porta Antunnacensis" by the Romans.

After the Romans had left, the Franks took over and Andernach became a royal seat of the Merovingians. In 859 the Kings Charles the Bald, Louis II (the German) and Lothair II met here for a discussion, that was not really a success. After Louis II´s death in 876, Charles the Bald asked Louis III. the surrender the areas left of the Rhine and began with the military conquest. This ended in the Battle of Andernach, in which Charles the Bald was defeated. In 882 and 883, the city was pillaged three times during the Viking raids in the Rhineland.

In 1167 Emperor Friedrich I ("Barbarossa") gave the imperial court of Andernach with coinage and customs rights to his imperial chancellor and archbishop of Cologne Rainald von Dassel, who had accompanied the Emperor on his wars in Italy (and brought the remains of the Magis to Cologne). with this takeover, the city slid into the dispute over the German throne between Otto IV (Guelphs) and Philip (Staufers). Philip of Swabia captured the city in 1198 and set it on fire. The old town church was also destroyed up to the current bell tower.

In 1194 Emperor Heinrich VI. handed Andernach over to Archbishop Johann I of Trier, which prompted him to build a larger new bishop's church (1198–1220). Andernach grew and got fortified. The complete medieval fortification secured the city with five double gates - as well as with 15 towers.

Maria Himmelfahrt (= Assumption of Mary) (aka "Mariendom"), was erected at the site of the church burned down by Philip of Swabia. The remaining free-standing bell tower was integrated into the new church building and now is oldest part of the building. The Archbishop of Trier Johann I had the new church built as a three-aisled basilica in the Rhenish Romanesque style around 1220.

The Mariendom had actually a couple of building and rebuilding phases. In the late 13th century some vaults collapsed, due to poor building site on which the church stands. The west building showed strong cracks. The large rose window was also replaced by a Gothic pointed arch window. In addition, the west towers received additional anchorages for stabilization.

After an inspection in 1722 the condition of the church was described as "ruinous". In 1739 plans came up considering the removal of the towers and the removal of the collapsed aisles. The commitment of Andernach's citizens saved the church from being rebuilt into a torso with partial demolition of the west towers and removal of the side aisles. From 1740 on the rebuilding of the damaged church was consistently pursued, especially the reconstruction of the collapsed aisles.

1899 the restoration work was finally completed with the interior painting. The state that is visible today corresponds roughly to that of the middle of the 13th century.

"Anna Selbdritt" is an "icon" depicting Saint Anne with her daughter, the Virgin Mary, and her grandson Jesus. This one is from the second half of the 15th century.

This depiction has been popular in Germany and neighbouring countries since the 14th century following the 13th century "Golden Legend" in which the author Jacobus de Voragine incorporated apocryphal accounts from the Protoevangelium of James regarding the parents of the Virgin Mary.

The cult of St. Anne spread rapidly and she became one of the most popular saints. Saint Anne became the patroness of grandparents, women in labour, and miners.