[2] Protestant church Dhaun

Description

The small Protestant church in the district of Dhaun was not originally a church. For centuries, services for both the ruling families and the villagers were held in the chapel dedicated to St George at Dhaun Castle.

After French revolutionary troops occupied the area on the left bank of the Rhine in 1794, the castle also fell into their hands. In 1804, the French administration auctioned off the complex; the new owner was Andreas van Recum, who had the buildings demolished.

The count’s brewery, situated outside the castle grounds, was not included in the auction. In 1809, by order of Napoleon, it was gifted to the Protestant congregation of Dhaun, which then established its church there. Just under 60 years later, the building was also fitted with a church tower.

Inside the church, which appears unassuming from the outside, there are, however, 24 panel paintings depicting biblical scenes and 12 paintings of the Apostles and Evangelists, all of which originate from the inventory of the castle’s former court chapel and were donated by Andreas van Recum to the Protestant parish. They are dated to the first half of the 17th century.

In addition, the church also houses an ornate altar cloth donated by the last Countess of Dhaun and the Rhine, Luise (+ 1733).

The church is only open during services. However, reproductions of the panel paintings now hang in the ruins of the former court chapel.