Belsener Kapelle, Romanesque church in Belsen, Germany.
Belsener Kapelle is a Romanesque choir tower church in Belsen, a district of Mössingen, built in the 12th century, probably before 1150, on the foundations of an early 11th-century predecessor. The choir was later added to the tower in Gothic times, and large windows replaced the original openings. The west gable carries weathered reliefs of a cross, a human figure and ram, pig and bull heads; the two half-columns flanking the portal are read as the apostles Peter and Paul.
The church was built in the 12th century, probably before 1150, on the foundations of an early 11th-century predecessor. It replaced a Carolingian chapel destroyed by fire. Excavations by pastor Max Duncker in 1899 and by the state heritage office in 1960 confirmed these older foundations, which are accessible today.
The reliefs on the west gable show a cross, a human figure, ram heads, pig heads and a bull's head, partly weathered. No convincing reading of them exists; links to ancient symbolism and to Celtic and Roman settlement are discussed. The two half-columns flanking the portal probably represent the apostles Peter and Paul.
The chapel functions as an active place of worship and is open to visitors during the day. Those interested in seeing the interior can attend regular services or contact the local congregation for access.
Excavations uncovered remains of a child that carbon-14 analysis dated between 720 and 880 CE. This discovery provides evidence of the site's earliest use for religious burial purposes.
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