1872

An open compass, closing on one altar

In 1872 it was finished. The district gazetteer sets the building down without ornament: “two converging naves which meet in a common chancel.” Auguste Jean saw it as an open compass, two arms splayed at the doors, drawing nearer down the length of the building, closing at last on one shared sanctuary. A German visitor put it more simply still: a double church, with one common high altar — in its way a masterpiece of architecture, he thought, bearing brilliant witness to the talent of “our Br Bergenthal”. Over it stand two octagonal towers of ninety-two feet, and inside, the vaults were painted in dyes drawn from plants and trees.

DocumentedThis moment rests on 5 sources.
Parish history (English)
two octagonal towers of ninety-two feet, and vaults painted with dyes drawn from plants and trees

What this source establishes

The 92-ft towers and the vegetable dyes. Parish-side, and the page says so.

This is as much of the book as this site prints. It is named in full in the bibliography below.

The English history of the Holy Family ChurchParish copy; title, author and year still being confirmed

The parish's own record, printed here by the parish.