The German regions included in Mecklenburg Vorpommern are flat, agricultural lands, without deposits of stone. During the great church-building centuries of the Gothic and Renaissance era, builders resorted to what was at hand and created their own unique form of devotional art -- immense brick, “Backstein” monuments to their faith. Wismar has three of them, plus a delightful 16th century almshouse church.
Marien Kirche
Although all that remains of the 13th-century brick Marien Kirche is its tower, it is still an impressive site. Badly damaged in an air raid in April 1945, its nave was bulldozed during the GDR period for use as a parking lot. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, however, the footprint of the church has been recreated as a park, its exterior walls and interior arch bases faithfully replicated and now used as a garden for contemplation. At one end is the restored vestibule, with a museum, and the striking twin steeples still rise 80 meters ( about 265 feet). These brick towers still serve as a navigation aide for ships in the Baltic. Across the street is the ornate medieval brick Archidiakonat parish house from 1450 which was restored after the attack.
Wismar’s Largest Church
Close by, next to the Fürstenhof Palace, the church of Saint George is the biggest of the city’s churches. It was built as the church of craftsmen and tradesmen between the 14th and 16th centuries. It was also heavily damaged during the April 1945 air raid and has been under restoration. No longer a church, it now serves as a concert hall and meeting space. It is noted for its tall vaulted ceiling. While much of the interior decoration has been destroyed, the majesty of its nave and brickwork make it well worth a visit. Note in particular the Gothic arched windows over the entrance, remnants of the original structure. On the gable end of the nave are classic Hansa arched windows.
St. Nicholas and Heiligen Geist
On the opposite side of town another of these immense brick Gothic churches sits beside an ancient canalize stream, the Grube, used before the 17th century for everything from water supply to waste disposal. The nave of the 14th-century seafarers’ church of St. Nicholas rises 37 meters (about 119 feet) making it the fourth tallest in Germany. Its stunning red brick interior contains a number of medieval art works. Many of the objects of religious art recovered from the Marien Kirche and St Georges Church are displayed here. These include two priceless carved wooden triptychs, one of which was the altarpiece from St George’s church, and intricate carved choir stalls.
Another church that should be on anyone’s must-see list is the modest Heiligen Geist Kirche, a 16th-century building so different from the other churches that it comes as a surprise. Buttressed red brick on the outside, it was built as a hospital or almshouse church. Behind a door at the rear of the nave are rooms originally serving as homes for the elderly poor of the parish. Inside the church, instead of the high vaulted ceiling of the other churches, there is a white interior with a low flat ceiling of outstanding 17th century painted panels of old testament stories. At the ends of the pews are finely carved medieval panels and on a window sill look for a carved medieval Virgin Mary and the three Magi. Behind the church, off Neustadt Strasse, there is a quiet medieval garden.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site city, the churches and sacred art treasures they hold are only a part of what Wismar has to offer. It is a joy to explore these churches and the other treasures of Wismar with an expert English speaking guide. We used the services of Roman Lisewski who’s knowledge of the churches and the city is encyclopedic. Contact him through the Wismar Tourist Office at Am Markt 11,(03841) 19 4 33, or by email at touristinfo@wismar.de. The tourist office is also well stocked with current information and suggested things to do. The Alter Speicher Hotel, in city center, is a charming place to stay or check out other options for lodging and dining online.
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