St. Severus

The Basilica of St Severus stands on the site of a former Roman fort in Boppard, a town on the Rhine. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries in the Rhineland’s transitional style, it replaced an earlier church dating back to the 6th century. The present structure has twin towers added in the 17th century, replacing the original helm roofs. The church was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2014.

Excavations beneath the nave uncovered the remains of a 6th-century church with a keyhole-shaped pulpit and an early Christian baptismal font. The first church measured nine by thirty-two metres and included an apse and four side rooms. Archaeologist Nickenig concluded that Boppard’s Christian community played a central role in spreading the faith along the Middle Rhine. The present building was completed in 1236 and consecrated the following year by Archbishop Theoderich.

Inside, a 1220s–30s triumphal cross shows Christ crowned as king over death. A Romanesque Madonna from about 1260 stands in the north aisle, carved from alder wood. Below the choir lies a crypt restored in the 21st century, now furnished with an altar from Bad Salzig. The south tower houses a 1745 baptismal chapel with a font donated by Mayor Goswin Klöcker. The oldest pews, in the north aisle, date from 1692, and modern stained-glass windows by Krista Jörg adorn the south aisle.