Extension of the Catholic Parish Church in Ornbau
The old parish church of Ornbau in the Feuchtwangen district, with its beautiful Romanesque sandstone tower and interesting Gothic chancel, had become far too small (130 seats); the roof structure was dilapidated, and the two-storey gallery was a safety hazard. The Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments authorized the demolition of the central nave, which was not of great artistic value. A new church with approximately 500 seats had to be planned between the chancel and the tower. Complicating factors included: 1. The character of the old townscape, with its predominantly Franconian gabled houses, had to be preserved. 2. The new building had to blend harmoniously with the tower and the chancel. 3. The number of seats had to be increased more than threefold, despite the limited space in and around the church. 4. The late Gothic east chancel required structural repairs. Solution to the problem: Four pairs of 23-metre-long concrete beams were positioned to form a gable, into which three smaller gables were inserted on each side. The plaster was removed from the lower sections of the very well-preserved Romanesque tower, which was then freely integrated into the new structure. The east chancel, which had been plastered over in the meantime, was also uncovered on the exterior and inserted into the new structure as an independent component.
