Brilon - Propsteikirche St. Petrus und Andreas

Brilon´s first reference occurs in a deed of Emperor Otto II dated 973. He confirmed to the Cathedral of Magdeburg possessions in Westphalia, including the Villa Brilon. The estate was passed later by an exchange to the Archbishops of Paderborn.

In about 1220 Archbishop Engelbert I of Cologne acquired the Brilon. The Archbishop laid out a fortified town and gave it municipal rights. This was followed by bloody conflicts between the Archbishops of Cologne and the Bishops of Paderborn over the rights of possession of the place. These ended when the Bishop of Paderborn, after being taken prisoner, waived his rights to Brilon (1256).

Thereafter Brilon developed into a thriving town of about 3,000 inhabitants with an active trading and mining life. As a trading town, Brilon was also a member of the Hanseatic League. In 1350 Brilon had between 500 and 600 houses. At this time Brilon held the position of the second city of Westphalia behind Soest.

In 1655 the Gymnasium Petrinum was founded as a monastery school. It is thus one of the oldest Gymnasien ("grammar schools") in Westphalia.

Due to conflicts and military actions economic declined. After the Congress of Vienna of 1816 Brilon was transferred to Prussia, which made it the centre of the Prussian district.


The first place of worship existed before 1000. It was excluded from the transfer of ownership of Altenbrilon to the Archdiocese of Magdeburg in 973; It belonged to the Diocese of Cologne. Cologne clergy came to the Sauerland after a mission from Charlemagne and created a wide-meshed network of original parishes there. When the city of Brilon was founded in 1220, Archbishop Engelbert transferred the parish rights to the "new" church. The construction of this church started around 1220.

The church was combined in several epochs from choir area, nave and tower to a uniform appearance. A three-aisled and three-bay hall church with a rectangular chancel and a small west tower was built in the late Romanesque style. Around 1250 the construction of the mighty tower in the early Gothic style began. The building in its current form and size was probably completed around 1350.