Cities, villages, fortresses - Aargau - Bad Zurzach (Tenedo) - Church

Introduction Early fortresses and vicus Late fortresses Bridges Church

In fortress Kirchlibuck the remains were found of a building that has been interpreted as a church with a baptisterium. It is a square building (9.10 x 11.40 x 9.90 x 11 m.) with an apse (diam. 7.20 m.). Next to it a small basin was added that would be a baptismal font (0.90 x 0.50, 0.56 deep). The basin was reached along three steps. It is in the back part of a room with two benches. A date around 400 AD has been suggested for the building.

Plan of the church (A 1-3) and of the annex (B 1-2). The small basin is in the back part of room A 3. Gerster 1970.

Left: the basin of the baptisterium. Right: the room in front, with the imprint of a bench to the right. Photos: Laur-Belart 1955, Abb. 56.

Next to the church is an annex, 16.20 m long and 6.20 m wide. It was made up of a square room with an oven and a rectangular room with a fireplace. The former room may have been used for baking bread for the poor and for celebrating communion. It has been suggested that the other room was a catechumeneum, a room for teaching.

The remains of the "catechumeneum". Photo: Wikimedia, Xocolatl.

Reconstruction drawing of the church and of the annex. Gerster 1970.

An important figure in the history and for the monuments of Bad Zurzach is Saint Verena, who died there after many wanderings, in 344 AD. She is buried in the Verenamünster. There is a Verena-Brunnen in the Kurpark. Near the modern Rhine bridge is a chapel of Verena und Mauritius, and on the bridge a modern statue of the saint can be seen.

The Verena-Brunnen in the Kurpark. Photo: Wikimedia, Monika Ernst.

Introduction Early fortresses and vicus Late fortresses Bridges Church

[6-Oct-2023]