200Th Year of St. Jacob's Church and Orphanage in Weimar

This medal is modeled on the C. Wermuth medal from 200 years ago, issued in 1713 and minted in silver. (https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=7278989&AucID=8530&Lot=2749&Val=97a07a4cd66f8e9fed7233b717219e2c) 

It was issued for the 200th anniversary of the inauguration of the Jacob's Church and the orphanage. While pewter (white metal) examples are extremely rare, same medal was issued in bronze and those are quite common.

The Church of St Jacob in Weimar was built as a pilgrim’s church on St James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela. In 1168, the earlier building was located on Jacob’s hill; however, between 1712 and 1713 it was pulled down due to disrepair. William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar commissioned the building of a new, single-nave, Baroque-style church in 1713. After the fire at the Weimar Palace, which completely destroyed the palace chapel, St Jacob’s became the court church of Weimar. On 19 October 1806, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Christiane Vulpius were married here by the priest Christoph Wilhelm Günther.

The galleries and ambulatories are built in the neo classical style. The statue on the high altar of Christ delivering a blessing is particularly eye-catching with the gesture and the clothing being reminiscent of the Romans. Furthermore, the sarcophagus of the English painter Charles Gore is located in this church. Gore was one of the participants of the famous social gatherings hosted by Duchess Anna Amalia in Tiefurt.

In front of the church, along the southern wall, is the grave of Lucas Cranach the Elder. Opposite, the wife of Goethe, Christiane von Goethe (née Vulpius), is buried. Also, Friedrich Schiller, among others, were buried there.