The church in the Bernkastel district is the only building in the Moselle region that is still uniformly preserved in the style of the 14th century. The three-nave church has such a rich furnishing as is seldom to be found in such abundance in this country. The baroque façade, which was restored in 1968, offers a strong contrast to the massive and over 600-year-old tower of St. Michael. The interior gives a hall-like impression, the sacristy was built in 1664 and the central point in the choir is the Calvary group from 1496.
The church tower
The tower made of unplastered quarry stone masonry (which only darkened over time) was probably built at the end of the 13th century. The Archbishop of Trier, Heinrich II of Finstingen, acquired all goods and rights in Bernkastel from Count Heinrich V of Salm in 1280. According to the bishopric chronicle, the archbishop not only built a strong wall around Bernkastel and fortified castle and settlement. After Bernkastel was granted the city rights by King Rudolf, he also erected numerous walls, towers and chest dams, including the current St. Michael's Tower. The tower is 56 meters high, on the upper floor the wall thickness is still 1.75 meters. The attic with its bells dates from the 15th century
History and altars
When exactly the parish of Bernkastel was founded is not known. However, it can be assumed that a Catholic community existed as early as 1017. Theodoric of Saarburg is named as the first pastor of the city. It is assumed that a church must have existed no later than 1177 (in the middle of a cemetery, of which 4 basalt crosses are still preserved).
Especially worth seeing inside the chapel are the altar of St. Sebastian (first half of the 17th century), the altar of St. Mary made of alabaster stone (1750), the altar of St. Nicholas in the southern aisle (1750) and the calvary group on the high altar of St. Michael's church from 1496.