Marktsteft Church Castle

During the period of Christianization, the lord of the manor created settlements and also founded churches such as St. Stephan in Marktsteft. It belonged to the proprietary churches of the Counts of Castell. As feudal lords, they equipped their proprietary churches, ensured their upkeep, and appointed the clergy. They protected, supervised, and organized the service of the appointed pastors.

The center of the proprietary church was the stone altar, anchored in the ground, with the relics. The church property was surrounded by the churchyard with the graves. Furthermore, it included the "parsonage with outbuildings and land, communal and grazing rights, parish and church income, tithes and stole fees."

The current church building is still surrounded by remnants of the former fortified church. The town hall can be found in the gate tower and the adjacent building.

The oldest part of St. Stephan is the four-story tower. It was completed in 1608. Sources report a predecessor building in 1565 in connection with weather ringing and a Hosanna bell.

The nave was built in the years 1623–1624. The first year is recorded on the chancel arch and the second on the northern entrance. The building was significantly altered several times by numerous repair and renovation works in 1737, 1797, and 1868.

Merchant Johann Dietrich and cooper Johann Matthäus Full donated a new altar and a new pulpit in 1737. Today, the altarpiece with the crucifixion group by Christoph Pitsch from this period is once again in the altarpiece. It had been removed in 1868 and replaced by a Christ image by painter Weigand from Nuremberg.

Pastor Merk ensured that a new baptismal font could be installed in the church on March 22, 1626. Cantor Christoph Scherzer covered the costs for a tin overlay by Nikolaus Lender from Marktbreit in 1738. Until 1868, it stood in front of the altar. Afterwards, it was placed to the side.

The seating in the church of Marktsteft was highly sought after. To prevent disputes, seating was regulated by a church pew order from September 8, 1625. Church pew fees had to be paid on February 11 and July 28. The amount depended on the type and location of the seat. Initially, there were 12 benches on the pulpit side and 7 on the opposite side in the nave. In 1678, we learn of 107 women's seats in the nave and 44 men's seats in the gallery. In 1708, the population of Marktsteft grew so much that a new gallery was installed. This was repeated in 1737. Preferred seats with grilles existed until 1868. Under Pastor Michahelles, the grille stands disappeared.

Pastor Berger began decorating the balustrade of the gallery with pictures from the life of Jesus in 1934.