| Michaeliskirche (St. Michaelis Kirche) | |
|---|---|
 Tower of Michaeliskirche | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Protestant (Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchgemeinde Ohrdruf) |
| District | Gotha |
| Province | Thuringia |
| Location | |
| Municipality | Ohrdruf |
| State | Germany |
  Shown within Germany | |
| Coordinates | 50°49′43″N10°44′05″E / 50.8285°N 10.7347°E /50.8285; 10.7347 |
TheMichaeliskirche orSt. Michaelis Kirche (St. Michael's Church) in theThuringian town ofOhrdruf was the church whereJohann Sebastian Bach's eldest brother,Johann Christoph Bach, held the post of organist 1690 - 1721. He took on the care of his younger brothersJohann Jacob and Johann Sebastian after they were orphaned in 1695.
Previous churches at the site go back to the 8th century and are associated with SaintBoniface who reportedly founded the first monastery in Thuringia here, dedicated toSaint Michael.[1]
J. S. Bach was orphaned at the age of 9 and went to live with his eldest brother. Johann Sebastian also attended school here.[2][3]
The church contained a three-manualGermanbaroqueorgan in a historic case ofAustrian origin. It was here that Bach learned about organ building. The organ needed constant repairs, and he was sent into the organ often to fix minor problems.
The church burned down in 1753 and 1808 when fires raged through the town, but rebuilt each time. The church was again destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945, only the roofless 15th-century tower remained. This was covered by a concrete roof until 1998/99 when the tower was reconstructed. Today, the tower houses a small chapel and an exhibition on the church's history.[1][3]
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