Martinskirche, Protestant church in Apolda, Germany

The Martinskirche in Apolda is a Protestant church whose oldest parts date from the Romanesque period. Two round arches with cube capitals and the central north and south portals survive from that phase, alongside a Romanesque altar foundation discovered in 2003 and visible under glass. Since 1925/26 the nave has been separated from the choir, so the front section, the Martinskapelle, serves as the worship space.

The Martinskirche was first documented in 1119, and remnants of Romanesque masonry and a Romanesque altar foundation survive. Originally it stood outside the town walls near the confluence of the Herressener and Schötener streams. Rebuilding is documented from 1671, with reconsecration in 1700 after work begun in 1683; a refurbishment followed in 1776. After the Lutherkirche opened in 1894 the Martinskirche lost its role as town church, and in 1925/26 the nave was separated from the choir under architect Bang-Haas of Weimar.

The Vitzthum family, lords of Apolda castle, used the church as their burial place, while townspeople were buried in the surrounding cemetery, today's Kantplatz. Five grave monuments remain inside, four with carved figures of the deceased. A local legend says Catarina von Vitzthum, daughter of Moritz, was killed by lightning as a child, as a fortune-teller had foretold; the Katharina-Brunnen in town recalls her.

The church stands outside the old town walls, near where the Herressener and Schötener streams meet. Since 1926 only the front section, the Martinskapelle, has been in continuous use, and Sunday services are still held there weekly. The choir seats 100 visitors. The Romanesque altar foundation found in 2003 can be seen through glass panes in the floor.

The oldest bell in Apolda hangs here: cast around 1503, probably by the Erfurt founder Heinrich Ziegler, it was found in the bell tower of Zottelstedt and sold to Apolda in 1955. It first rang in the Martinskirche at Christmas 1956.