Asam Kirche , Munich

 

If I say St. Johann Nepomuk,perhaps no-one would  identify the Asamkirche, but it is another name for this famous Baroque church in Munich. The church depicted the life of St. Nepomuk. Two brothers, sculptor Egid Quirin Asam, and painter Cosmas Damian Asam but Asam kirche as their private church,now  considered to be one of the most important buildings of the southern German Late Baroque. Situated in a walkable distance from Marienplatz, it is one beautiful structure you should not miss in your Munich visit.It was designed as Beichtkirche (confession church) for the youth. So the small church has seven confessionals with allegorical scenes.

 

 

The church was built in a confined space, with an area of just 22 by 8 m. Modern builders remain awestruck  by seeing  the performance of the two builders who were able to unite in the two-story space architecture, painting and sculpture in harmony. Especially the indirect lighting in the choir area is amazing: hidden behind the cornice window the Trinity figures are illuminated effective from behind. The ceiling fresco “Life of Saint Nepomuk” is considered one of the masterpieces by Cosmas Damian Asam.

 

 

However beautiful it may be, but it did not escape the increasing violence over peace. In a bomb attack in 1944, the choir was heavily damaged, with the interior restoration from 1975 to 1983 according to source study was done a hypothetical original appearance of the choir.

 

 

 

 

 

view of town hall from the front of the church

The Asams had bought four houses for their project.  Egid took possession of the southern house as his home, and  sculpted lavish stucco ornamentation for the exterior, as it was typical for the South German rococo, an ornament technique inspired by Lüftlmalerei . The two houses in the middle were demolished to build the church. The northern house was given  for the priest. With growing resistance from the citizens, Asam brothers were forced to make the church accessible to the public from a private one.

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