Wernerkapelle

Between St. Peter's Church and the castle Stahleck stands as a cultural monument of Rhineland High Gothic, namely the ruins of the former Wernerkapelle. The chapel was dedicated to the boy and folk saint Werner. A legend says that Werner should have fallen victim to a Jewish ritual murder.

Beautiful to look at. There are only a few foundations left with the Gothik typical pointed arches. But this place conveys a great atmosphere. At the same time it is a great photo opportunity. The former chapel can be reached via several stairs. It lies on a path between St. Peter's Church and the castle Stahleck. These three sights should not be missed during a visit to Bacharach.

The ruins of a high Gothic central building in the vineyards above St. Peter's Church used to be a much-visited pilgrimage chapel. It was built shortly after 1287. The reason for the construction was the murder of a boy Werner, whose body had been found in Holy Week 1287. The death was blamed on the Jewish community of Oberwesel without any evidence. The result was unbridled persecution of the Jews, in which over 40 people died. As a result of this pogrom, a chapel dedicated to Werner was built.

In the meantime, several historians have clearly shown that this accusation of the Jewish fellow citizens was wrongly made. The pastor at the time, Heinrich Crumbach, invented this ritual murder legend based on the false legend about William of Norwich (1144).

The Wernerkapelle is today a landmark and memorial for the (not only) medieval persecution of Jewish citizens.
The name Werner was allegedly taken to death by members of the Jewish community because they wanted to steal him a host ...
From this developed at his grave a place of pilgrimage where the Wernerkapelle was created.

The Wernerkapelle is one of the most distinctive landmarks of the city of Bacharach. Especially beautiful you can see them embedded in the city from the vineyards.