Collegiate Church (Stiftskirche)
Full of history and noteworthy. Even without being an art or church historian, if you look at the Kaiserslautern Collegiate Church you see that it is something special - above all its "picturesque side" from the Marktstraße with the "Schönen Brunnen" (Fountain) in front of it is impressive (it was first mentioned in 1571). In fact it is considered to be the most important late gothic hall church in southwest Germany and is in addition the birthplace of the "Palatine Union" because here the Lutherans and the Reformers in the Palatine joined forces in 1818.
The historical roots of the Collegiate Church lead back to (and how could it be different in Kaiserslautern) Barbarossa who had a monastery built in this place. After this praemonstratensian monastery was closed in 1511, there was a secular monastery which only existed until 1565, but which continues to exist until today in name.
The Collegiate Church was built on the walls of a previous building. With the choir, the oldest construction section was completed at the end of the 13th century whereas the nave - a high gothic hall construction with narrow side vessels - was not built until the beginning of the 14th century. A constructional feature are the two-story windows.
A marble monument from Professor Knoll in the entry hall of the main entrance reminds of the politically important joining to the "United Protestant Evangelical Christian Church". It shows among others Johannes Calvin, Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchton, Ulrich Zwingli, Ulrich von Hutten and Franz von Sickingen.
Today the Collegiate Church is a Protestant parish church.
The carillon chimes weekdays at 09:31 a.m., 11:01 a.m., 12:31 p.m., 03:01 p.m., 04:31 p.m., 06:31 p.m. and 08:01 p.m.. Subject to alterations.