St. Michael Church

A church probably stood on the site of the present church long before the year 1000. Remains of it can still be seen in the churchyard walls north of the present church. Small windows in the wall presumably belonged to the older church. Furthermore, two communion chalices from around the year 1400 have been preserved to this day. The cemetery surrounding the church existed until 1785.

On the south wall of the choir and in a tower corner, the year 1511 is carved in stone: The choir and tower, as well as the painting of the choir ceiling, date from this year.

The church has been Protestant since the Reformation in Gochsheim in 1540 or 1543. The octagonal baptismal font, which was removed during the renovation in 1872, dates from 1545. After its rediscovery in a nearby garden, it was restored and reinstalled in the church for Thanksgiving in 1986. The church now has a modern baptismal font in the nave and the historic baptismal font in the choir.

The old nave was demolished and enlarged in 1872. On November 9, 1872, the enlarged church was consecrated; the altar, pulpit, and baptismal font were designed in the Neo-Gothic style.

A fundamental renovation took place in the years 1966-1968, during which the interior was completely rebuilt. The two galleries were reduced to one, the old high altar was removed and replaced by a table altar. The old stair tower on the church tower on the south side was demolished. The Neo-Gothic style of the interior gave way to a deliberately bright and modern design. The four evangelist figures from the 1872 pulpit now hang on the wall of the choir, along with the old altar crucifix.

The four bells of the church date from the years 1559 to 1774.

Stained Glass Windows in the Choir

The stained glass windows in the choir were installed in 1994 by the Schweinfurt glass artist Günther Johrend. They depict the following scenes, with an angel visible in each scene:

• Annunciation to Mary
• Annunciation of the Christmas message to the shepherds in Bethlehem
• Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
• The angel at the tomb announces the resurrection of Jesus
• The Archangel Michael
• Trumpet angel of the Last Judgment

Figure of the Risen Christ

This figure was carved in 1983 by Ulsamer in Schweinfurt. It hangs in the place where the pulpit was until 1968.

Wayside Shrine in the Churchyard

A wayside shrine in the churchyard from 1987 commemorates that a cemetery was here until 1785. It depicts Bernard of Clairvaux, Archangel Michael, and the Risen Christ.