Belgern

INFORMATION

Font ID: 26004BEL
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Date: ca. 1662
Font Century and Period/Style: 17th century (mid), Late Gothic?
Church / Chapel Name: Evangelische Kirche St. Bartholomäus, Belgern
Font Location in Church: [disappeared]
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Bartholomew
Church Notes: church here first mentioned in 1267; incorporated into Buch Abbey, Leisnig, in 1330; present church a re-bulding of 1509-1512; renovated ca. 1620, and again in 1637-1647
Church Address: Kirchengemeinde Belgern, Kirchstraße 19, 04874 Belgern-Schildau, Germany -- Tel.+49 34224 40228
Site Location: Nordsachsen, Sachsen, Germany, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off (E) the B182, 12-13 km SE of Torgau, on the left bank of the Elbe river, about 50 km ENE of Leipzig
Additional Comments: disappeared fonts (the medieval one and the one from 1662) / cost of a font in 1662
Font Notes:
The present baptismal font and its cover of 1912 are noted and illustrated in Kirchenkreis Torgau-Delitzsch EKM [https://www.kirche-in-nordsachsen.de/index.php/gemeindeleben/projekt-kirchen-guide-belgern/kanzel-taufstein] [accessed 1 December 2025]; the entry does mention an earlier font that was newly installed on December 12, 1662. It cost 80 guilders at the time. The town council had requested 50 guilders from Elector Johann Georg I, funds which came from fines levied on rebellious citizens of Belgern: "Der Taufstein wurde am 12. Dezember 1662 neu gesetzt. Er kostete damals 80 Gulden. 50 Gulden hatte sich dafür der Stadtrat vom Kurfürsten Johann Georg I. erbeten, die aus Strafgeldern aufrührerischer Belgernscher Bürger stammten. Bei dem Taufstein, der heute vorne am Altar zu sehen ist, handelt es sich allerdings um einen Taufstein im neugotischen Stil aus dem Jahr 1912."
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Pol Herman for bringing this font to our attention and for his help documenting it

COORDINATES

UTM: 33U 369998 5705336
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 51.484215, 13.127683
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 51° 29′ 3.17″ N, 13° 7′ 39.66″ E