Elten, Religious monastery in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany
St. Vitus Church sits on Eltenberg, a hill about 82 meters high in the Emmerich district, marking where a former religious community once stood. The Romanesque building contains artifacts and artworks from different periods, showing how it changed over centuries.
A count named Wickman of Hamaland founded the complex in 968, and it quickly became a women's religious house that grew into an important religious site. The church survived many changes and was rebuilt and expanded several times over the centuries.
The church displays features from multiple periods, from Romanesque capitals to baroque altars, showing how different artistic styles existed side by side through the centuries. Visitors find religious artworks and wall hangings that fill the space with historical layers.
You can enter the church through a small wooden door in the main portal, which stands open during daylight hours for visitors to explore inside. Wear comfortable shoes since you need to walk uphill to reach the site, and the area invites you to take walks around the surroundings.
A remarkable well called the Drusus Fountain once stood nearby and was about 57 meters deep, making it one of the deepest wells in the region. This well supplied water to the convent and people living below for centuries before it stopped being used in 1931.
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