Bamberg is home to the oldest, completely intact Via Dolorosa in Germany. The people of the late Middle Ages wanted to recreate the Way of the Cross to commemorate Jesus Christ's suffering. Since 1503 the Via Dolorosa has led from St. Elisabeth's Church to the Church of St. Getreu. The special feature of this Way is that its creator Heinrich Marschalk von Raueneck had the stations positioned in exactly the same way he had seen and measured them in paces in Jerusalem. At the doorway of St. Elisabeth's Church, we find ourselves in front of Pilate's house where Jesus shoulders the cross; ascending Aufseßstraße, we follow his route to Golgotha. In the Church of St. Getreu, we see the story of suffering, the Crucifixion, death and entombment of Christ. |
