The Elisabethenkirche, or Offene Kirche Elisabethen, is a 19th-century church building in the centre of Basel, next to the Theater Basel, in Switzerland. It is a well detailed example of Swiss Gothic Revival style churches. It has a Шаблон:Convert tall bell tower and spire. The tower has internal stairs.
The church construction begun in 1857 and was completed in 1864.[1] Its architect was Ferdinand Stadler and it was the first new church erected in Basel following the reformation.[1] Its construction was sponsored by the wealthy businessman Christoph Merian and his wife Margarethe Burckhardt-Merian, which were both laid to rest in the church[2] in black marble sarcophagi in the crypt below the church's main floor. Christoph Merian did not oversee the completion of the church as he died in 1858.[2] The Merians also founded the Christoph-Merian-Stiftung.[1] Today's congregation forms part of the Evangelical-Reformed Church of the Canton Basel-Stadt.
Present day
Today the church is home of the first Swiss "OpenChurch" or Offene Kirche Elisabethen]. [3][4] The Offene Kirche Elisabethen caters to the spiritual, cultural and social needs of urban people of all backgrounds. It is also known for their support of the LGBT community.[4][5]
The Offene Kirche Elisabethen is well known throughout the region for their Fasnachtsgottesdienst, [6] a service in honor of the Carnival of Basel. The Church has also served as the venue for punk concerts and at times it was converted into a club.[4]
Schöpfungsfeier (service with blessing of the human-animal relation), Heilungsfeiern (weekly and trimesterly healing-/blessing services for people in need and sorrow) and their gender aware spiritual practice.
