A deconsecrated church on the river Mosel is now a holiday home and seminar venue
The first church in Germany to be repurposed into a holiday home and seminar venue opened in the Spring of 2018.
After a two-year phase of planning and renovation, owner Anke Nuxoll-Oster recently opened her doors to welcome guests into this listed building in the wine-growing district of Bernkastel-Wehlen by the river Mosel.Alte Kirche(the Old Church) will comfortably accommodate up to 24people for group excursions, seminars and celebrations.
Anke, a business studies graduate, is no newcomer toproperty renovation.In 2007 she discovered her passion for rescuing old buildings and welcoming guests into them.Since then she has saved several houses from ruin and turned them into holiday homes.She focuses on larger properties suitable for group and seminar stays.
Anke Nuxoll-Osterhas found, with each new property, that she can barely keep up with demand.There are still too few destinations on the market for larger groups looking for a private, high quality atmosphere as an alternative to traditional hotel stays.
Repurposing not reconstructing
As with her previous projects, host Anke is not only the owner and developer, but has also been involved in the planning, being responsible for all the interior design.
Alte Kirche in Wehlen, arendered quarrystone building dating from the middle of the 17th century, has been secularised for more than 150 years and came into municipal ownership.The building then served as an alms houseand was completely renovated during that period.
The single-knave main building, originally linked by a pointed arch with the choir, was partitioned off.Since then two further links have been made with the choir: a door in the ground floor and a window in the upper floor.
Dividing up the space has proved ideal for the present use:in the course of repurposing, no major works affecting the fabric of thebuilding were needed.Only a few plasterboard walls needed to be installed. Extensive renovation was required throughout the interior and exterior however; among other things, due to pervasive dry rot, the ceiling to the top floor had to be replaced and new emergency escape routes provided to conform to the latest fire prevention requirements.In the three-storey main building there are now nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a large living room.
Meeting and dining in unique surroundings
The eight-metre high choir remains the centrepiece of the accommodation.Thanks to underfloor heating, a convenient cooking island and long tables, it now serves equally as a meeting place, dining room and seminar room with a unique atmosphere.The perfect place for meeting and dining!
The room, somewhat narrower than the main building, has been kept in its original form.It has four pointed windows, double-bay cross-vaulting and a triangular end. Inside it has two pillars with shallow projections and four consoles leading to two bosses with Gothicfoliage.
A cloud-shaped waddinglighting installation optimises the acoustics.
Another defining element is the west tower which still has, on the ground floor,a cross vault, two round-arched passages and a portal to the main house, above which there is a cartouche with the royal coat of arms and the date 1669.
The facilities arerounded off perfectly by outside seating and a barbecue area. Later in the year, further rooms will be opened up in the vaulted cellar, ideal, among other things, for wine tastings in a rustic ambience.
