Protestant Church, Borgholzhausen

The Evangelische Kirche in Borgholzhausen stands in the small town of Borgholzhausen in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a late-Gothic hall church with one aisle, built in the 14th century and expanded with a Gothic choir in 1496. The church replaced earlier structures first mentioned in a 1169 document as an Eigenkirche of the Counts of Ravensberg. A carved stone altarpiece from 1501 is its most striking feature, depicting the Passion of Jesus in 13 scenes. The church became Lutheran in 1535 under the reformer Johannes Sandhagen, who introduced the Reformation to the town. Catholic services were still permitted there until 1624. The church’s interior was restored in 1955–56, and in 1975–76 additions from the 19th century were removed. Archaeological excavations were carried out, and the ceiling’s ornamental decoration was refreshed. The exterior plaster was restored in 2010–11. A monument in front of the church honours soldiers who died in the wars between 1864 and 1871. The church and parish belong to the Kirchenkreis Halle of the Evangelische Kirche von Westfalen. Inside, the carved stone altarpiece dominates the space, designed to teach the congregation the story of Jesus’s Passion. The late-Gothic architecture and the altarpiece’s 13 detailed scenes make it a unique work of art in Westphalia. The church’s setting in Borgholzhausen, with its historical ties to the Counts of Ravensberg, adds to its significance. The surrounding area includes a memorial to fallen soldiers, linking the church to local history. The building’s restored interior and exterior reflect centuries of care and adaptation.