"The Church in the Rock"

The name is actually the Felsenkirche, but the Americans call it the Church in the Rock because Felsen means rock and Kirche means church, so that's where it's English nickname came from.  It is called that in German because the church is actually built right into the rock on the side of a mountain.  It is currently a functioning Protestant church, but it was built well before the Protestant Reformation and was built as a Catholic church.

There is a legend of how and why this church was built, but it is unlikely that it is true.  The legend goes that a man and his brother were both in love with the same woman and he killed his brother over the woman.  The penance given to him by a priest was to build a church out of the rock.  Next to the organ in the back of the chapel is a puppet statue of this supposed murderer with a pick ax in position to chisel away at the rock.  The kids all thought that was a creepy addition.

We came to visit with the homeschool group.  We parked pretty far up the mountain, and then we only had to walk a little ways until we arrived.  The kids all hiked happily with there friends.  Bobby stayed with me, in and out of the Ergo as his little legs dictated.

The altar piece was a treasure with many details in the tryptic that the children and parents spent time seeking out and discussing the symbolism within.  The chapel was small inside with a balcony seating section.  There is a little spring coming down from the mountain right into a raw grotto left unfinished to the left hand side of the chapel.  We walked through a door near it and upstairs to see the breathtaking view of the city, Idar-Oberstein, and to get a glimpse of the bell.

Afterward thoroughly looking through the church, we decided to hike up to the castle since we had driven an hour and had more time available.  It was a lovely afternoon!

I feel like I always have on the Ergo, either with my barnacle (AKA Bob) in it or dangling from my waste for that moment when we switch to uphill and his bitty legs get tired.