Goslar - St. Jakobi

The town of Goslar on the northern slopes of the Harz mountains once was a center of political power in Europe.

In 1009 the first imperial synod was held here under Henry II. In 1024 Conrad II celebrated Christmas in Goslar and in 1025 he ordered the construction of a new imperial palace ("Kaiserpfalz"). For Henry III Goslar was the centre of his empire, during 17 years he hold court in Goslar 18 times (and often for months). Henry IV was born in Goslar 1050. Henry V held six imperial diets here and for Frederick I (Barbarossa), Goslar was a preferred "Kaiserpfalz". So Goslar was in the center of european politics for about 250 years.

Goslar, being wealthy through mining, had 7 churches in the 12th century and the imperial palace, so some historians call it the "Rome of the North" - for that time.

A view through the naves of St. Jakobi. Only the arcade at the crossing (where you see the coat of arms) is romanesque. The strcuture itself no is a gothic hall-church. St. Jakobi was the church of the guilds in Goslar and they actually started the reformation here, by writing a letter to Martin Luther, a letter he answered in 1529.

Under Prussia the church was given to the few catholics, that had settled in Goslar early 19th century. The baroque altars and benches (in the foreground) came from two nearby abbeys, that got secularized in 1803. The gothic tracery was dismanteled - so the interior now is light flooded.

Here is the website of the parish (in German):
www.st-jakobi.de/chronic/index_ch.htm