Eastern Moselle

The Protestant church in Stiring-Wendel © Stiring-Wendel church

Sarreguemines - Forbach - Stiring-Wendel - Saint-Avold

Along the river Sarre and on the edge of the Warndt forest you’ll find a recent Protestant heritage from Lorraine, marked by churches, people and remembrance sites. This Protestantism is related to the region’s industrial expansion in the 19th century (pottery factories and coal mines), as much as to its recent decline. Many of the churches in this area were built in a “wilhelmian” style of architecture, referring to the emperor William II (“Wilhelm”) and in a composite style, typical of the 1870-1918 period.

 

THE MENNONITE GRAVEYARD AND FARMS IN WEIDESHEIM

Start your tour by a walk around Weidesheim. This charming hamlet still has a Mennonite graveyard and farms, next to the ruins of a castle.
 

THE PROTESTANT CHURCH IN SARREGUEMINES

Go back North taking the D33 in the direction of Sarreguemines. Once in the town, on the right bank of the river Sarre, don’t miss the impressive Romanesque-Gothic Protestant church of 1898. Inside you will discover a gallery with stained glass windows, full of colours, evocations and symbols. Behind the altar lays an altarpiece (St. Peter saved from drowning by Christ’s hand), that comes from the St. Paul church in Strasbourg.

In the entrance you will see a beautiful copy of a Tübingen Bible that dates from 1729 as well as two monumental Mennonite books: a Bible from 1582 and the very moving “ Märtyrerspiegel “, an Anabaptist martyrology, dating from 1659.

 
THE PROTESTANT CHURCH IN FORBACH

Now go back to Sarreguemines and take the A32 towards Forbach (20mn). In the town’s centre, rue Sainte-Croix, on the left hand side you can admire the Protestant church’s shimmering façade, made of yellow and pink sandstone (built in 1891). Inside you’ll discover remarkable stained glass windows made by Tristan Ruhlmann, an expressionist piece of art made in blues and reds. Since 1977, the church also has a Haerpfer organ, with 33 sounding registers, 3 keyboards/pedals and a remarkable buffet.

THE SCHLOSSBERG PARC

To get a good view of the region, go up to the Schlossberg Park, Forbach’s symbol. You’ll find old castle ruins, as well as a place to eat.

 

THE PROTESTANT CHURCH IN STIRING-WENDEL

Then go back down to the centre of Forbach to go to Stiring-Wendel (5mn away). There, on the left hand side of the rue Nationale, go towards the graveyard. Opposite it, 17 rue du Stockfeld, you’ll find the Protestant church. Do not miss its beautiful milky-coloured stained glass windows made by Yvonne Maury in 1999, with renewed Christian themes such as Paul meeting Ananias. Also notice the Lorraine cross at the heart of Luther’s rose.

THE PROTESTANT CHURCH IN SAINT-AVOLD

Take the A32 towards Metz, then the Saint-Avold exit, direction “centre-ville”. Then look for the Lycée Poncelet; right near it, on the president Schumann roundabout, lies a pretty Neo-Gothical Wilhelmian style Protestant church, with a ceiling in the shape of a barrel.