Meinerzhagen - Jesus-Christus

According to a local legend the name Meinerzhagen goes back to an early hermit named Meinhardus, but there is no proof. Meinerzhagen was mentioned first time in 1067 in document in Cologne dealing with the tithes.

Around 1220 the late Romanesque three-aisled galleried basilica was built, a style, that is quite unique here, and more common in the Rhineland. The church, in the early days named "Unser liewen Vrowen Kerke tho Meinertzhagen", developed into a pilgrimage church, to which processions came to the miraculous image of the Virgin. During annual processions of the parish, named the holy "Drachten", the image of Virgin Mary was carried through the villages.

This pilgrimage finally ended when the Reformation arrived in the 1560s. The whole community got Protestant and the church was named simply called Protestant church and laterm when in 1765 another Protestant churtch was built the "alte Kirche" ("old church").

It was not until 1967, when a second Protestant church was built, that the older one was given the name "Jesus Christ Kirche."

The Romanesque choir got replaced by a Gothic one in 15th century. In 1797 the church got severely damaged by fire, so the massive tower was rebuilt from 1816 on.