Korbach - St. Kilian

Korbach was granted town rights in 1188 by the Bishop of Paderborn Bernhard II. granted town rights under Soest law. Owing to the location at the crossroads of the Cologne-Leipzig and Frankfurt-Bremen commercial roads, handicrafts and trade quickly developed and Korbach blossomed. In the 14th century, Saint Kilian's Church (Kilianskirche) and St. Nicholas's Church (Nikolaikirche) were built. Korbach joined the Hanse and was first mentioned as a member town of the Hanseatic League in 1469. The Korbach merchants traded in cloth, skins and beer, as well as gold and other metals from the surrounding area. In 1414, a double ring of walls surrounding the whole town was finished.

With the coming of the Reformation, the town, and indeed the whole County of Waldeck, became Protestant.
St. Kilian in the district "Altstadt" is older than St. Nikolai in the "Neustadt".

The construction of the Gothic church was started in 1335. Likewise, the tower basement dates from this year. The tower was built from 1380 to 1392. The original tower had a height of about 93 m and was at the time of its completion among the tallest church towers in the world. Today's lantern was not added until 1709 after the original roof helmet had been destroyed several times as a result of lightning strikes. The nave was begun in 1388 and completed with the vaulting in 1450.

The spacious, late Gothic hall church.