City: Oberwinter is mentioned for the
first time in a charter dated from the year 886. Viscount
Gerhard von Landskron obtained control over Oberwinter as
a result of a fief (a gift of inheritable lands granted by
a lord in return for a form of allegiance) in the year 1318
. The reformation made gains into the area on November 27,
1565. There was an exchange of control 28 years later, in
1593, with duke Johann Wllhelm von Jülich-Kleve-Berg
which resulted in the parishes Oberwinter and Birgel becoming
catholic again.
The municipality Oberwinter became a district of the
city of Remagen in 1969. Today there are 2529 people living
here (2010).
Building: The current evangelical church
of Oberwinter was built between 1721 and 1723. It is built
in simple of style and interior according to the teaching
of Calvinism. Owing to construction regulations the church
could not be built directly on the street, but was constructed
some distance back from the street. Up until the end of the
19th century the church could only be accessed if one went
through the parish house.
Object: Above the entrance
of the church is an elegant decoration piece. On a coat of
arms the Bible text of Psalms 93:5 is placed: “HEILIGKEIT
IST DIE ZIERDE DEINES HAUSES EWIGLICH ("Holiness is the
jewel of your house in length of days"). With regard
to the divine name our attention is drawn to three stone balls
on top of the ornament. On every ball there are two characters
written. Putting these characters together “I E H O
V A” is spelt out.
