Construction of the St. Nicholas Chapel began in 1695.
The inspiration for the new building came from Prince-Bishop Marquard Sebastian Schenk von Stauffenberg. According to legend, he sought refuge from a storm in the previous chapel. Due to its poor condition, he commissioned the construction of a new one.
Bonaventura Rauscher, who also built the Breitengüßbach parish church of St. Leonhard, was hired as the master builder. On July 22, 1710, the new chapel was consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas.
In the course of secularization, the sale of the chapel, which was now owned by Bavaria, was considered in 1810 to save on maintenance costs. However, the pastor in charge demonstrated that the St. Nicholas Chapel was essential to the community and that its preservation was secured thanks to interest and donations. Thus, it remained available to the citizens.
The chapel was formerly a destination for pilgrimages from nearby villages.
After World War II, the St. Nicholas Chapel was made available to the many new Protestant residents of Güßbach – mainly war refugees. Until the consecration of St. John's Church in Hallstadt in 1964, all Protestant services, weddings, and baptisms were held in the chapel.
Today, services are rarely held in the St. Nicholas Chapel. However, the annual festive service on December 6, St. Nicholas Day, has been retained as a tradition.
The building, constructed of local sandstone, is a square structure with a recessed façade gable and a graceful turret. The two bells are rung for prayer in the morning and evening. The recessed choir with stucco work adjoins the nave.
Inside is a high altar with a group of figures surrounding St. Nicholas dating from 1515. The tabernacle comes from the old parish church.
The altar of the Virgin Mary, the St. Sebastian altar, and the pulpit were donated by Güßbach citizens. The organ is approximately 300 years old and was last restored, along with the altarpieces, in 1983/84. The building and its furnishings are listed as historical monuments.
If you would like to visit the St. Nicholas Chapel, please inquire at Bahnhofstrasse 1.
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