Obertor Chapel

Denkmal

There has probably been a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary at the Obertor gate since the 13th century. The first evidence of its existence is often taken from the chronicle of the town clerk Christian Wierstraet from the time of the siege by Charles the Bold in 1474/75, in which he describes a procession of Neuss citizens to the Obertor gate: As the mayor prayed to the Blessed Mother Mary for the salvation of Neuss here, cannon balls bearing messages from the imperial troops flew into the city announcing the imminent liberation of Neuss.

In 1712/13, the old tuff stone building was abandoned due to disrepair and replaced by today’s brick church. After the dissolution of the Liebfrauen Brotherhood, in whose care the chapel had been left until then, it was transferred to the city during the French occupation around 1803. In 1865, the Augustinians bought the chapel and the adjoining building. They used the so-called Obertor monastery for nursing, as a wafer bakery and sewing school until the 20th century.

Today, the chapel is in the care of the parish of St. Quirin and is only occasionally used for church services. The Obertor Chapel Friends’ Association has been looking after the chapel since 2008.

Sources and texts: Neuss municipal archives
Graphic design: Cornelius Uerlichs
Translation: A.C.T. Fachübersetzungen GmbH

This plaque was donated by: Förderverein Obertorkapelle Neuss am Rhein