Agatha Church

As one of the oldest settlements in the Calenberger Land region, the town once lay along the Hellweg, a trade route connecting the Rhine and the Elbe. A mighty moated castle protected Leveste.

St. Agatha Church, built in 1229, celebrates its 788th anniversary in 2017. It was constructed in the transitional style of the first half of the 13th century. The Gothic frescoes in the choir and the organ loft date from the 15th century, while the frescoes in the nave are dated to the period between 1370 and 1430. Looking up at the church’s vaulted ceiling, one sees four holy martyrs with their retinue. In the choir, one gets a sense of the Christian worldview of that era and its clear dualism of heaven and hell, as well as Christ as the savior of the world. The neoclassical organ facade is also a gift from Baron Wilhelm Knigge, dating from 1808.

The illustrations were later painted over with white paint. Thanks to this overpainting, the works of art have been largely preserved in their original state. In 1924, the overpainted frescoes were discovered and uncovered. Today, the portraits are of great importance to scientists, film directors, actors and costume designers because they faithfully reproduce the fashion of the period around 1400.

See and be amazed is the motto here.