University Church of Marburg, University church in Marburg, Germany

The University Church of Marburg is a two-aisled hall church founded in 1291, with a nave and north aisle of equal height and a raised polygonal choir of three bays and a 5/8 close. It adjoins the former Dominican convent, later the Old University, so it is not freestanding. On the south side the buttresses are set inside, and a ridge turret sits on the roof completed in 1420.

The building was founded in 1291 by Henry I of Hesse and originally served the Dominican Order. It became a Protestant church following the Reformation in 1527 and has remained linked to the university ever since.

The church is still used by the Philipps University, which took over the Dominican monastery in the 16th century. Its nickname "Church on the Rock" comes from its site on the Lahnfels, the only natural rock in the city. The 1927 interior by Karl Bernhard Ritter, made for the university's 400th anniversary, is a rare surviving Expressionist church design.

Two entrances provide access: the western portal leads directly into the main nave while the northern portal provides access to the side aisle. Keep in mind that the building is actively used for university events, so visiting times may vary.

The building has an asymmetrical layout because a planned southern aisle was never built due to space constraints. As a result, support buttresses were placed inside the structure, creating an unusual architectural feature.