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The Showroom Erasmuskapelle remains closed until further notice.
Showroom Erasmuskapelle
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The walls are burning
Hardly any building has served so many different purposes over the centuries as the former Erasmuskapelle (Erasmus Chapel). Today it is open to the public and is one of the most visited sights in Kempten. It is not home to a place of worship, but provides exciting insights into the eventful history of the city in the form of the Showroom Erasmuskapelle.
23 steps lead down from St.-Mang-Platz to the underground Showroom Erasmuskapelle. A special experience awaits you there: the walls are made to speak with atmospheric lighting, projections and audio images. In a rousing multivision show, almost eight centuries of city history are told, in which the building itself also plays a major role. After the show, there is plenty of time to look around the space. Instead of conventional display cases, there is a monitor table that presents finds from the excavations and reveals explanations about them on a screen. In addition, among other things, traces of burns and remains of wall paintings can be discovered, and two openings on the east wall reveal insights into the ossuary behind it.
PAST AND FUTURE COMBINED
From a chapel to a showroom
Over time, the Erasmuskapelle served various purposes, and its construction history is closely linked with the history of the city. It was built in the 13th century as a cemetery chapel with an ossuary. After a fire and several structural changes, in 1557 it was converted into a linen showroom, a wine cellar and tavern. In 1664, a room for weighing lard was attached and in 1857 there was a decision to tear it all down. During the Second World War, during the construction of a bunker, the walls remaining in the ground were accidentally discovered. Starting in 1988, archaeological investigations took place, which in 2003 brought to light about 500 medieval burials and in 2008 the well-preserved basement of the chapel.
In 2009, the City Council then decided to have the former chapel converted into the Showroom Erasmuskapelle. The construction of the underground Showroom Erasmuskapelle while preserving the original parts was an architectural and technical challenge. Access was also not easy to create without destroying much of the original structure. Thus, a modern entrance made of concrete and glass now rises from the open space of St.-Mang-Platz, which is otherwise covered with light-coloured gravel. If you look closely, a bronze band can be seen between the pebbles on the square, outlining the contours of the underground chapel, and a bronze plate marks the site of the new crypt.
Tip
All-weather attraction
The underground Showroom Erasmuskapelle is recommended in all weather conditions and any time of year. During a hot summer’s day a visit to the chapel is not only informative – it also cools you down agreeably.
Short Information
Schowroom Erasmuskapelle
Tickets
Admission is only possible as part of a guided tour. Tickets can be purchased on site in the Mang-Box in the south hall of the Church of St. Mang or online in the Experience Shop. Admission to the Kempten museums, including the Erasmus Chapel, is free on the first Sunday of every month.
Contact
Address: St.-Mang-Platz, 87435 Kempten
Telefon: 0831 2525-1725
E-Mail: erasmus@kempten.de
Web: erasmuskapelle-kempten.de
23
stair steps
under the earth
800
years
building history
50
bones
in the crypt
ON THE MOVE IN KEMPTEN
Arrival, parking & public transport
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.
Other museums in Kempten
STATE ROOMS OF THE RESIDENCE
At the height of the times of prince abbots
Kempten-Museum in the zumsteinhaus
City history retold
Cambodunum
ARCHAEoLOGICAL PARK
Immerse yourself in the times of the Romans
Allgäu CASTLE MUSEUM
Experience the Middle Ages