Photo: architectural monuments, Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra , Bavaria

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Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra

Architectural Monuments

Afra was a priestess of the temple of Vesta in the Roman Augusta Vindelicorum, which did not prevent her from practicing Christianity. At the height of persecutions of Christians during the emperor Diocletian, she was cruelly tortured by Roman soldiers. Soon Christianity was rehabilitated, and Afra was named the saint patron of Augsburg. The first church in her honour appeared in the town already in the fifth century and of course it did not reach our days.

In the 10th century the list of saints specially honoured in Augsburg was supplemented by the local bishop Ulrich. His merit was that with his prayers he warded off nomad Hungarians from the town. Since then relics of St. Ulrich are kept in the church next to the relics of St. Afra.

Gradually the church of St. Afra and St. Ulrich became the main one in the town. Here the best people of Augsburg were buried. For example, in the 9th century St. Simpert, nephew of Carl the Great was buried here. As a new church was being built in the place of the old one (the current basilica was built in 1474), his tomb was being reconstructed. Bankers from the Fugger family are also buried in the chapel of the church.

Basilica of St. Afra and St. Ulrich is a catholic church, however it has about 30 Russian orthodox icons. At the same time, a protestant church of St. Ulrich is located closely to the catholic basilica of St. Afra and St. Ulrich.

Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra

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