around 900

Building stages of the Walpurgiskirche from the 9th to the 14th century
(Concept: N. Hansen)

um 900First church building in Alsfeld

The basic findings about the origins of Alsfeld’s main church, St. Walpurgis, are only just over 50 years old. When a modern hot-air heating system had to be installed in 1971/72, the existing floor had to be lifted to a certain depth. The Alsfeld History and Museum Association used this opportunity to carry out further excavations. Under the expert supervision of archaeologist Dr. Jürgen Michler (Marburg), not only were early burial sites uncovered, but also evidence of various construction stages of the church. The most impressive and oldest evidence was found in the central nave: the remains of the foundations of the first three-aisled basilica with a three-apsidal choir end. Over the following centuries, this nucleus, which was around 16 meters long and almost 11 meters wide, developed into today’s church building, including the tower.

As there are no documents such as a certificate of consecration, it was only possible to determine the age of the original church through typological comparisons. It can therefore be assumed that it was founded in the 9th/10th century, i.e. in pre-Romanesque times. Only much later, in 1233, does a document confirm the existence of a parish church in Alsfeld. And the oldest confirmation of the name of the patron saint Walpurga is recorded in a letter of indulgence from 1331. (NH)