St. Jakob

St Jakob stands in the centre of Köthen, a small city in Anhalt-Bitterfeld. The church was built around 1400 in the Gothic style and became Protestant in 1525. Johann Schlaginhaufen served as minister here from 1533 until his death in 1560. In the late 19th century the building was restored and partly remodelled. The church also contains the Fürstengruft, the ducal burial vault of the princes of Anhalt-Köthen. The Fürstengruft holds representative coffins of several dukes and duchesses. Among those buried there are Louis I, who ruled from 1579 to 1650, and his grandson Leopold, who died in 1728. Gisela Agnes of Rath, wife of Emmanuel Lebrecht, rests here beside her husband. The last duke of Köthen, Henry, converted to Catholicism and was buried elsewhere. Visitors find a Gothic church interior with a restored nave and chancel. The Fürstengruft lies beneath the church and can be entered from inside. Plain stone coffins line the vault, each marked with the name of a duke or duchess. The quiet space above ground contrasts with the solemn chamber below.