St. Ida Basilika

The church houses the tomb of St. Ida, who settled in Herzfeld in 786 and built what is believed to be the first stone church east of the Rhine here.

When visitors approach the community, they can see the high tower of this church in Herzfeld from afar. It houses the tomb of St. Ida, who settled in Herzfeld in 786 and built what is believed to be the first stone church east of the Rhine here.

The current church is an imposing neo-Gothic successor building from 1901. The crypt contains the foundation walls of the previous church, which were uncovered during excavations in 1975. There you can also visit the golden reliquary, which contains the relics of Ida, who was canonized in 980. Valuable pieces of inventory are reminiscent of the saint, who comes from the Frankish royal family and can be considered the niece of Charlemagne. She married Egbert a Duke of Saxony.

Ida and Egbert are considered the ancestors of the later Saxon emperors. At the beginning of the 11th century, a meeting of imperial princes was held in Herzfeld, which underlines the importance of this village in the early history of Germany. October 15, 2011 is a very special day in history: During a pontifical mass, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher of Saint Ida was raised to the status of the Papal Pilgrimage Basilica (Basilica minor).

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