Büdingen, Kr. Wetterau, Hessen

The history of the town of Büdingen is connected to the noble family of Isenburg [sometimes spelled Ysenburg].

Büdingen has a significant history related to the migration to the Volga German colonies. It served as a gathering place for many colonist families who were immigrating, particularly in 1766.

During the spring and summer of 1766, several hundred colonist marriages were conducted in St. Mary's Lutheran Church in Büdingen. Those marriages have been published in the book by Mai & Marquardt (see Sources).

Church:

A wooden church within the town walls of Büdingen is first mentioned in a document dated 1367. It is believed to have been built by the Order of the Wilhelmites. In 1377, the timber frame church was replaced by a basilica built of stone with a north-south alignment and a tower on the north. It was built under the direction of Johann von Isenburg and his wife Sophie von Wertheim. The church was dedicated to St. Mary and in German is known as the Marienkirche.

In 1442, the Isenburg Family was promoted to the rank of Imperial Count, a higher level of nobility, due to the growing size and significance of the town of Büdingen. In 1476, renovation and expansion of the church was begun by Count Ludwig II and the building took its present shape with the choir on the eastern end. This new nave was consecrated in 1491 and four years later the interior furnishings were moved from St. Remigius' church to the Marienkirche. The former choir which had been on the south end of the church is now a chapel dedicated to St. Anna. In 1602, in response to the Calvinist movement, Count Wolfgang Ernst I had the St. Anna Chapel removed. An organ is first mentioned in church documents in 1499.

In 1543, the Lutheran Reformation was officially introduced in Büdingen and St. Mary's became a Protestant congregation. In 1601, Count Wolfgang Ernst I introduced Calvinism and the rich decorations from the late Gothic era along with the five altars and the organ were removed. Since 1817, the Marienkirche has been used by the unified Protestant churches.

A restoration in 1956 revealed the original fresco above the arch along with the coats of arms of the Isenburg and Nassau families. Many members of the Isenburg family are buried in the church, and their names are inscribed on a bronze plaque behind the altar.

In 1776, the Baroque top was added to the tower. A new organ with 29 registers was installed in 1971. During the 2001-2002 renovation, the original coloring of the walls was restored.

The bells in the tower chime in B-flat, G-flat, and E-flat. The two smaller bells date from 1777. The largest bell was confiscated in World War II and melted down. It was replaced in 1954.