Parish Church St. Susannae Plech | Services & Opening Hours

The Parish Church St. Susannae in Plech is much more than a quiet place in the town center. It combines centuries-old church history with a vibrant community, a distinctive architectural form from the Margrave period, and a location that is attractive for visitors as well as for hikers, cyclists, and travelers. The Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Plech describes itself as the southernmost community of the Bayreuth deanery, located at the border between Upper Franconia and Middle Franconia and bordering the Upper Palatinate to the east. At the same time, it emphasizes a lively community life with forms of worship, groups, circles, and events. This mixture makes the church interesting: it is a spiritual place, a historical monument, and a practical point of contact in a region known for its paths, landscapes, and Franconian culture. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/))

Those searching for the Parish Church St. Susannae will find in Plech a place that not only exhibits history but also lives on in the present. The church is located at Kirchenweg 3 and is closely connected to the community center, the parish office, and other stations of church life. The official website of the congregation explicitly points to online services, confirmation, festivals, and other current dates. On the pages of Margrave Churches, the parish church is described as a gem along the main road and hiking trail, and the community also refers to a broader cultural and spiritual context with tours, encounters, and offerings around the church. For all those who want to decide between church visits, history, and excursions, St. Susannae is therefore an exceptionally versatile place. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/))

History and Margrave Church in Plech

The history of St. Susannae begins early. Margrave Churches already mentions the year 1402, when the first chapel was documented. At that time, Plech was located on a long-distance trade route from Nuremberg to Prague, which gave the place and its chapel an important position in travel and pilgrimage traffic. The first chapel was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of travelers and pilgrims. After the Hussite Wars, the church was rebuilt in 1430 and dedicated to Susanna. This historical break is crucial for the church's current appearance, as it connects medieval beginnings with a later, distinctly margravial construction phase. The representation of Margrave Churches also emphasizes that the church was remodeled under Margrave Alexander from 1779 to 1782. Thus, a building history emerged that makes several layers visible: medieval origins, early modern renewal, and a classicist-baroque imprint of the Margrave period. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Particularly interesting is that the reconstruction of the church nave did not replace everything old. The powerful fortified church tower from the Hussite period with its shooting holes was incorporated into the new building and still stands today. This connection of defensive character and sacred use makes the church in Plech so distinctive. The Margrave style, which the region of Upper Franconia has preserved in many churches, is not displayed here as ostentatious grandeur but as a clear, theologically shaped architectural and pictorial language. The community itself also refers to its long Protestant tradition: Soon after the Reformation, Plech became Protestant, and to this day there is a vibrant evangelical community life. Those who visit St. Susannae thus enter not only a building but also a history that is supported by long-distance paths, the Reformation, the Margrave period, and still vibrant community work. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/))

Services, Events, and Tickets

When searching for events or tickets for the Parish Church St. Susannae, it is worth taking a closer look at the nature of the place. This is not a classic event arena but an evangelical parish church with regular community life. The official website of the congregation Plech shows current topics such as online services, toddler services, Bible, beer & bratwurst, jubilee confirmation, children's Bible day, Easter, and Holy Week. This makes it clear: the church is a place for worship, encounters, and community events. Margrave Churches adds that further events can be found on the church's website or through the portal Evangelische Termine. For visitors, this means: if you are looking for a specific date or a special format, you should check the current community pages. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/))

The search for tickets for this location is answered differently than for concerts or shows. For regular church visits and usual services, ticket sales are not the focus, but rather open access and community life. This also fits with the church's opening situation, which is described as an open house of worship and as a Margrave church with a visitor character. Those who wish to attend a service, devotion, or church appointment will find the appropriate information directly on the community's pages. However, those looking for admission tickets like at a classic event will usually not find them here, as the offerings are organized more spiritually and communally than commercially. This is precisely what makes St. Susannae appealing to many people: the place is accessible, consciously kept open, and yet well-structured when it comes to special dates and church formats. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/))

Opening Hours, Visit, and Practical Information

For visiting the church, the opening hours are important, and here Margrave Churches provides concrete, reliable information. The Parish Church St. Susannae is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00; from April to October, the opening hours extend to 19:00. The shorter church guide from Margrave Churches also mentions the same time frames for the entire year, showing that the church is intentionally kept accessible for visits. So, if you are planning a visit, a quiet pause, or a short cultural stop, you can rely on clearly communicated times. This openness is a real advantage, especially for travelers along the A9, day visitors in the Franconian Switzerland, or people on a hike. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

The practical orientation is also well solved. The Margrave Churches page lists, in addition to the church's address, a number of visitor features that make the stay pleasant: barrier-free, car parking, bus parking, charging station for e-bikes, charging station for e-cars, public transport, WC, gastronomy, and church tours. Additionally, the location is in an environment that can be well combined with other destinations. For visitors, this means that a church visit or a tour does not remain isolated but can be combined with a walk, a stop, or a tour of the surroundings. This combination of a historic church and modern visitor-friendliness is remarkable: the place is old but not hard to access. It is rich in history but adapted to today's needs. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Access, Parking, and Barrier-Free Access

The location of St. Susannae is very convenient for access. Margrave Churches describes Plech as a place on the A9 motorway and emphasizes that the church is easily accessible both from the market area and from further away. Historically, Plech was located on the long-distance trade route from Nuremberg to Prague; today, the proximity to the A9 is the modern advantage of the same geographical line. The official community states that the church is located at Kirchenweg 3, while the parish office is at Badstraße 44 and the community center at Kirchenweg 4. Those arriving by car will find a clear local structure. The church's website also mentions car parking and bus parking, which is important not only for individual travelers but also for groups and tour buses. ([plech-evangelisch.de](https://www.plech-evangelisch.de/hier-finden-sie-uns))

The barrier-free access is another plus. Margrave Churches explicitly points out accessibility and complements the infrastructure with public transport connections, WC, and even charging points for e-bikes and e-cars. This shows that the church is not only seen as a monument but as a visitable place for a very diverse target group. Whether older people, families with children, groups on a tour, or travelers with a short stay: the access is designed so that the visit remains practically planable. In combination with the open daytime hours and the good location, a site emerges that is suitable for both a spontaneous stop and a consciously planned visit. Those traveling in Plech can therefore easily incorporate St. Susannae into a route without major detours or complicated organization. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Pulpit Altar, Organ, and Church Furnishings

The interior furnishings of the Parish Church St. Susannae are among its great strengths. Margrave Churches names as central elements the pulpit altar with Peter and Paul, the evangelists, the resurrected one in a radiant halo, and the initial A of Margrave Alexander. This pulpit altar was created in 1731 by Johann Caspar Fischer and later incorporated into the new building of the 18th century. This is crucial for the perception of the space, as the pulpit altar shapes the liturgical center, the pictorial language, and the theological emphasis of the church at the same time. Thus, upon entering the church, one does not experience a sober emptiness but a spatial order in which preaching, resurrection, and biblical testimony visibly come together. This is precisely what makes the church so impressive for culture-interested visitors. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Also part of the furnishings are two confessionals from 1782, two processional crosses, a painting of Pastor Johann Daniel Möckel from 1759 behind the pulpit altar, and a building inscription outside above the south portal. The organ history is also remarkable: an organ was donated in 1770 by Johann Leißner, built by Johann Christoph Kittelmann in Nuremberg, and completed by court organ builder Georg Ernst Wiegleb in Bayreuth. Such details show that the church is richly equipped not only architecturally but also in terms of music and spirituality. The church thus serves as an example of how Protestant sacred spaces in Franconia connect art, liturgy, and history. It is not the size but the quality of the individual elements that makes its charm. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Flyer-Plech-Website-1.pdf))

Hiking Trails, Willow Church, and Nearby Excursion Destinations

Around the Parish Church St. Susannae, it is worth looking beyond the church tower, as the surroundings are excellently suited for paths, tours, and excursions. Margrave Churches names a whole range of cycling, pilgrimage, and hiking trails nearby, including the Plecher Church Round Trail, the Plecher Cave Trail, the Cultural Landscape Trail Plech, the Great Round Hiking Trail Plech, the Erlangen-Pegnitztal Cycle Path, and other routes. The community of Plech additionally refers to the Cultural Landscape Trail and the Active and Explorer Path. This means: those visiting the church can very well combine the stop with nature, movement, and regional history. The location on a historic long-distance path continues in a modern landscape of tours and circular paths. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Other destinations nearby also make the location attractive. Margrave Churches mentions among the sights in the vicinity the German Camera Museum Plech and the Willow Church Plech. The Willow Church is particularly interesting because the congregation has been celebrating open devotions, services, baptisms, and weddings there since 2017 and explicitly resorts to the Church St. Susannae in bad weather. This makes it clear that both places belong together: St. Susannae is the historical core, the Willow Church the younger, open space for special forms. Together they form a strong church profile in Plech that works both spiritually and touristically. So, for those looking for a church with history, beautiful location, and meaningful surroundings, this combination offers much more than a quick photo stop. ([markgrafenkirchen.de](https://www.markgrafenkirchen.de/markgrafenkirchen/pfarrkirche-st-susannae-plech/))

Sources:

• Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation Plech - Welcome!
• Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation Plech - Here you can find us
• Margrave Churches - Parish Church St. Susannae, Plech
• Margrave Churches - Church Short Guide Plech, St. Susannae
• Market Plech - Margrave Church St. Susannae
• Market Plech - Excursion Destinations