St. Ägidius, Gothic Revival church in Wahn, Germany
St. Ägidius is a three-aisled brick hall church with a square tower, built in Gothic Revival style between 1893 and 1895 in Wahn. Its axis runs north-south rather than east-west, because a conventional east-facing entrance would have required many steps. The interior keeps its largely original neo-Gothic furnishings, and the ribbed vault repainted in 1990-1992 carries floral motifs.
A chapel in Wahn was first documented in 1358. The previous church, built around 200 years earlier and repeatedly altered, was demolished in 1893; remains of an 11th-century chapel came to light during the work. The new three-aisled brick hall church with a square tower was built on the same site between 1893 and 1895 with support from Kuno Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach. Dean Caumanns of Mülheim consecrated it on Pentecost Monday 1895, and auxiliary bishop Schmitz performed the episcopal consecration on 7 June 1896.
The church is dedicated to Saint Giles, and the 1991 window in the former sacristy, now the Marienkapelle, shows the Virgin of Mercy sheltering the village of Wahn, with the parish churches St. Aegidius and St. Margaretha, the old chaplaincy and Wahn Castle beneath her mantle. A memorial cross on the outer wall recalls the deceased pastors of St. Aegidius.
The church stands on the Wahn site occupied since the 11th century, built north-south rather than east-facing so the entrance avoids a long flight of steps. Some baroque grave crosses from the former churchyard survive outside, and a memorial cross on the outer wall names past parish priests.
St. Ägidius is oriented north–south rather than the usual east-facing layout, because a conventional entrance would have required climbing many steps. The church was consecrated on Pentecost Monday 1895 by Mülheim dean Caumanns, with the episcopal consecration following on 7 June 1896 by Cologne auxiliary bishop Schmitz.
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