600 years alone on the island St. Paul's Church Out of the pedestrian zone and into the largest church nave between Mainz and Trier, not far from the Alte Nahebrücke bridge. The space impresses with its simple size. The fact that it is largely devoid of ornamentation is in keeping with the tradition of the Reformed congregation, who have used the church as the leading denomination since 1585. Visitors are surrounded by light, peace and harmony. Only the oak pulpit attracts attention. A boy, interpreted as an angel without wings, sits on the soundboard with a Bible and cross. The altar, organ and pulpit form a single unit. It is striking that this church has two main organs. The history of this church reflects the history of the town. When the Counts of Sponheim founded Kreuznach as a double town on both sides of the Nahe, they gave it a sacred center on the island between the two parts of the town with the church consecrated in 1332 after 20 years of construction. The cemetery was also located next to the church. There were no other buildings on the island between the two arms of the river until the development of the spa area. During the Reformation in 1557 the church became Lutheran, later reformed and in 1817 the Protestant ongregations united. However, the Catholics also had rights of use. The coexistence of the Christian denominations in the city is clearly evident in St. Paul's Church. Only the Gothic choir remains of the medieval church. French troops destroyed it in 1689. It took 100 years to rebuild it, and since 1781 the church has had its present appearance, although it was only 80 years later that the choir was transformed from a ruin into a pretty chapel by English spa guests, with tombstones of the Sponheim family and other noblemen walled into the wall. The church was once again ruined when the bridge was blown up, so that it could only be used again in 1954. The church clock, which belongs to the town and serves as the town clock, shows the connection with the town. The ringing of the three bells, which together weigh six tons, also tells the citizens what time it is.
