Feldkapelle, Modern chapel in Mechernich, Germany.
Feldkapelle is a windowless tower of pale, horizontally banded concrete rising above a field near Mechernich-Wachendorf. Its walls are pierced by rows of small circular holes, and a grey triangular door with a small cross above it marks the entrance. Inside, the walls carry the charred imprint of 112 spruce trunks, and the space opens to the sky.
The chapel was completed in 2007 after local farmers commissioned architect Peter Zumthor to design it. The project emerged from a desire to create a modern space for religious reflection.
The chapel is dedicated to Brother Klaus, the Swiss peace saint Nicholas of Flüe, patron of the Catholic rural youth and rural people's movements in which Hermann-Josef Scheidtweiler long served. A brass wheel sign on the wall repeats the meditation symbol of his hermitage, and a bronze half-figure by Hans Josephsohn holds a relic of the saint.
The chapel remains open throughout the year for visitors seeking a quiet visit. The best time to visit is during daylight hours to experience the full effect of the light coming through the roof opening.
The interior walls were constructed using over one hundred tree trunks that were then deliberately burned away. This process left behind dark, textured surfaces that stand in stark contrast to the smooth concrete exterior.
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