Münster St. Johannes

Münster St. Johannes is a Gothic parish church in Bad Mergentheim featuring a 50-meter bell tower topped with an octagonal onion dome. The structure comprises a basilica with cross-vaults and creates a distinctive profile on the town's skyline.

The Johanniter Order constructed this early Gothic pillar basilica between 1250 and 1274 on the site of an earlier chapel dedicated to Saint Kilian. The location thus held a long history as a place of worship before the larger stone church was built.

The interior displays Renaissance paintings across the vaulted ceiling and wooden sculptures from the 15th and 16th centuries that shape the nave's character. These works show how artistic traditions evolved across the generations.

Access to the church is available, and information can be found at the church office at Ledermarkt 12, which opens on weekday mornings. Friday afternoons offer extended hours for visitors seeking additional time to explore.

Until 1911, a tower watchman and his family lived in a dedicated chamber inside the bell tower, maintaining the clocks and ringing the fire bell. This daily life high above the town represented an extraordinary existence spanning multiple generations.