Bad Goegging - St. Andreas

The former parish church St. Andreas in Bad Goegging has a very winding and interesting history. This is the second church here. The predecessing one was built once over the basin of a Roman thermal bath, used by the Roman troops for recreation.

There is a speculation, that Christians lived here already during the late Roman times. It is proven that this place was a Christian center during the time of the early missionaries. Only about 12kms north is Weltenburg Abbey, the oldest Bavarian monastery founded by iro-scottish monks in 617 - and there may have been connections to Goegging.

The northern portal of St. Andreas is so elaborate, that this church must have been important during the 12th century. The entrance is flanked by two small lions, guarding the door.

The portal so outstanding, it has been connected to the "Magistri Comacini" from Northern Italy, but the style seen here is rather rough. The Lombardic master masons mostly carved in a more elegant, softer style (eg Koenigslutter). There are many "interpretations" of all the different icons found here.

There are 14 framed reliefs in Bad Goegging. Peter Leuschner ("Romanische Kirchen in Bayern") refers to late Dr. J. Reichart, an archeologist from nearby Ingolstadt, who divided them in to three groups. Following Dr. Reichart, seven carvings illustrate the seven deadly sins, three depicts scene from the Old and four scenes of the New Testament. I am not completely sure about these interpretations.

A large frame, very roughly carved, from the right side of the portal. Following Dr. Reichart´s interpretation this depicts

Genesis 22:13

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns."

The animal seen is a ram, but why should Abraham be in such a position. He does not even have feet. I have the impression, that the person on the right is not Abraham, but the angle, who is just placing/pushing the ram "in the thicket". As angels can fly - there are no feet.