Palace Chapel Neuburg upon the Danube, 1538–1543

The Neuburg Castle Chapel is considered the earliest ecclesiastical space built for the Protestant rite. Behind the portal, dated to 1538, a high, trapezoidal room opens behind the gate to which is connected the rectangular, elevated altar niche. The princely gallery runs around the perimeter on consoles made from glowing red marble. It has a magnificent parapet with rich relief ornamentation made up of grotesques characteristic for Renaissance art.

The altar of red marble with the sculpted group of the crucifixion was created between 1540 and 1542 by Martin Hering. Probably during this period, a pulpit was also installed at the point of transition between the altar space and the church the remains of which came to light during restoration in 2015. Today, it can be visualised from an impression in the plaster. The pulpit, and thus the “Word of God”, was prominently placed in the centre of attention.

The most important work of art in the palace chapel is the magnificent fresco cycle on the gallery walls and on the vaulted ceiling, created by the Salzburg artist Hans Bocksberger the Elder. The fresco cycle is the earliest example of a Protestant monumental painting.

To the digitised copy