Vierzehnheiligen

Grundfeld-Vierzehnheiligen, northeast of Staffelstein, is dominated by the great pilgrimage church of Vierzehnheiligen, the finest achievement of Franconian Baroque architecture, perched high above the left bank of the Main (alt. 387m/1,270ft). The church was built between 1743 and 1772 to the design of Balthasar Neumann. The name reflects its dedication to the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

The plan of the church is unique, with its interplay of ovals and circles, and the spatial concept of the interior (decorated by J. M. Feuchtmayr and J. G. Übelherr) is bold and imaginative. The sumptuous Gnadenaltar stands on the spot where the "Fourteen Helpers in time of need" are said to have appeared to a shepherd in 1445.