Boppard - St. Severus

Boppard (known in Roman times as Vicus Baudobriga) lies on the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.

After the end of the Roman Empire the population continued to live in the former Roman fort, that in the 5th century became a Merovingian royal seat. A century later a predecessor of today's St. Severus Church was built from the remains of the abandoned Roman bath. In medieval times Boppard was often visited by the German kings, who then resided in the royal court.

Excavations proofed that the early Christian church from the 6th century was a 9 × 32 meter church room with a small apse to the East. This church burnt down in the 10th century and got replaced by a smaller building. Around 1000 canons had formed a collegiate and cared for the pastoral needs.

Today´s St. Severus church was erected in the 12th and 13th centuries. The two church towers date from the middle of the 12th century (the helmets are from the 17th century), the nave was built at the beginning of the 13th century and its likely completion is dated to 1225. The choir finally dates to around the year 1234.

This gravestone, today displayed in the church, was found in 1973 during excavation work. It was cracked in two parts. It is dated to the 6th century - and reads

HIC IN PACE Q[VIE]SCVNT BENEDICTVS / IACONIS BES[ON]TIO ET NEPTIS SVA / BENEDICTA PV[ELL]A IVSTICIOLA / OBIIT IVSTIC[I]OLA PVELLA VIII KA(LENDAS) / ET IACONISa) BESONTIO VIIb K(ALENDAS) APRI(LES)

Here rest in peace the blessed deacon Besontio and his niece, the blessed girl Justiciola. The girl Justiciola died on the eighth and the deacon Besontio on the seventh (day) before the calendar of April.