The Church of St Mang is the oldest Protestant-Lutheran church in town. It has given its name to the square – St.-Mang-Platz – as well as being its eyecatcher. You can see its 66-m-high church tower from afar and it also dominates the outside appearance. But the interior, too, has some unexpected features worth viewing.
From the Middle Ages to 1818 Kempten was a double town, consisting of the ecclesiastical town of Kempten and the imperial town of Kempten. Both towns had their own church, St Lorenz in the ecclesiastical part, and St Mang in the imperial part of town. Due to the prince abbot’s rights of ownership and use within the imperial town, it was not self-sufficient. The origins of the Church of St Mang in the former imperial town date back to a former Romanesque building.
Between 1426 and 1428 the church was extended in the Gothic style and the church tower increased in height to the current 66 metres. At the occasion of the so-called “Großer Kauf“ (important purchase), the imperial town separated itself finally from the prince abbot in 1525, and became protestant during the Reformation in 1527 – and so did the Church of St Mang. In 1767 the church was modified in the Baroque style. The church as it is today was refurbished beginning of the 20th century, where former modifications were largely removed.
We recommend to attend a church service and listen to the organ extended in 2019 or have a look at the event diary for church music. If you happen to be in Kempten in the time leading up to Christmas, you can take part in the supporting programme around the Christmas market and join a guided tour of the church tower of the Church of St Mang, where you will also meet the bells, be able to look at the roof structure as well as into the church tower room.
The Church of St Mang dominates the St.-Mang-Platz, that has further highlights, if you take a closer look:
Some buildings worth seeing are found in the vicinity of the church, such as the Red House going back to the late Middle Ages at St.-Mang-Platz 3 or the Mühlberg-Ensemble, a medieval group of houses to which belongs the probably oldest house in Kempten at St.-Mang-Platz 12. Findings from this building are exhibited in the Kempten-Museum in the Zumsteinhaus.
You will find all the important information and notes on your journey to Kempten, on-site parking, public transport and mobility in Kempten and the Allgäu on the respective pages.
