St. Mary's Church, Rostock
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Church, Rostock, in German Marienkirche, is the biggest of three town churches found in the Hanseatic
city of Rostock
, in northern Germany. The other two are St. Petri
(Petrikirche) and St. Nicholas (Nikolaikirche). A fourth, St. James (Jakobikirche), was heavily damaged during the Second World War and subsequently demolished. St. Mary's was designated in 1265 as the main parish church and since the protestant reformation
in 1531 it's the house of the Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation.
church. Built in the 13th century, it was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present basilica. The first reference to a church on this site is in 1232, which is thought to be the predecessor of the current building. The triple-nave
cross-shaped
basilica
is in Brick Gothic
, a building style typical of the Hanseatic
port cities of northern Germany. The huge tower with a baroque lantern at the top was not completed until the end of the 18th century.
High Altar
The high altar was built in 1721 by a Berlin craftsman, mainly from painted wood. The altar shows in three pictures; Bottom: " The Last Supper " ; Middle: " The Resurrection " ; Top: " The Effusion of the Holy Spirit " .
Pulpit
The Pulpit in the style of renaissance made by Rudolf Stockmann in 1574. It was the first item of decoration to be installed in St. Mary's Church after the Reformation. Decorated with scenes from the passion of Jesus and a baroque abat-voix
from 1723, the pulpit now creates the effect of a unit. To get over the poor acoustics in St. Mary's, the pulpit was built in the middle of the church to ensure closeness to the congregation.
Stained Windows
The monumental south portal window of the transept
with a height of 26 meters shows The Day of Judgement. It is one of the largest single stained glass windows in Europe and was made by
" Tyrol
ean stained glass
Innsbruck
" from 1894 till 1904.
It survived the Second World War in various states of disrepair.
It was thoroughly restored between 2003 and 2008 by a Mecklenburgean master from Dresden and equipped with a protective glazing.
Astronomical Clock
Behind the high altar on the apse
is an astronomical clock
built in 1472 by Hans Düringer
, a clockmaker
from Nuremberg
. It consists of three partitions - Top: Apostle-go-round giving an hourly performance of the apostles crossing before Jesus for a blessing before entry into eternal bliss, and the last, Judas
, is shut out http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ohiolair/1/1216844100/tpod.html; Middle: Clock with daily time, zodiac
, moon phases, and month; Bottom: Calendar, which is valid until 2017. The medieval clock is the only one of its kind still in working condition with its original clockworks.
Baptismal Font
The Bronze font from 1290 is one of the oldest pieces in St. Mary's.
The font is decorated with scenes from the life and passion of Jesus. The font is carried by four kneeling men ( Earth, Water, Air and Fire ) and the lid is crowned by a bronze eagel. According to the inscription, the basin was founded for Easter 1290 and the work was carried out in a Rostock workshop. During the World War II
the Bronze font was hidden somewhere in Mecklenburg by the church staff to prevent it from being melted down for war material.
St. Roch Altar
The late gothic St. Roch
altar is a sidealtar of once 39 in this church. Manufactured from oak
wood in 1530 the master carver
can probably be found in the circles around carver Benedict Dreyer of Lübeck
. In the centre of the shrine is the patron Saint Roch. An angel points to the plague spot, the attribute of the deadly disease. Roch is a saint of Black Death
and it is assumed that the altar was built and set up in connection with Black Death epidemics which also ravaged in Rostock.
The huge baroque prospect of the "Marienorgel" was developed and built in 1770 by Paul Schmidt, an organ
maker from Rostock.
Because the lack of enough pressurized air ( referred to as wind ) the sound
was weak. That is the reason why this organ
was extensively elaborated and enhanced upon throughout the centuries, with among others, Marx, Winzer and Börger. In 1938 the organ was eventually completed by organ builder Sauer, Frankfurt/O. and equipped with an electro-pneumatic action
. Today it consist of four manuals
and
a pedalboard, 83 stops
( registration
) and 5.702 organ pipes, with the largest measuring eleven metres ( 32' ), the smallest the size of a cigarette ( 1/2' ). 30 pipes (voices
) are remains of the original instrument.
s by the RAF, which lasted three days, much of Rostock was destroyed. The sexton
of St. Mary's Mr. Bombowski saved the church by decisive action. Although three incendiary bombs
smashed through the roof of the tower, he extinguished the fire with the help from his daughter and a German auxiliary airforce commando. Comment of the former "NSDAP Kreisleiter" ( the local Nazi Party chief ) and then Lord Mayor of Rostock, Walter Volgmann - " The old hut should have burned down ". Inside the church is a famous picture by the painter Egon Tschirch from 1947 which depicts St. Mary's Church surrounded by ruins.
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
city of Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, in northern Germany. The other two are St. Petri
St. Petrikirche, Rostock
St. Peter's Church, in German Petrikirche, is the oldest of three town churches found in the Hanseatic city of Rostock, in northern Germany. The other two are St. Mary`s Church and St. Nicholas . A fourth, St. Jakobi, was heavily damaged during the Second World War and subsequently...
(Petrikirche) and St. Nicholas (Nikolaikirche). A fourth, St. James (Jakobikirche), was heavily damaged during the Second World War and subsequently demolished. St. Mary's was designated in 1265 as the main parish church and since the protestant reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in 1531 it's the house of the Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation.
Building
St. Mary's Church Marienkirche, on Ziegenmarkt, is a large Brick GothicBrick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
church. Built in the 13th century, it was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present basilica. The first reference to a church on this site is in 1232, which is thought to be the predecessor of the current building. The triple-nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
cross-shaped
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
is in Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
, a building style typical of the Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
port cities of northern Germany. The huge tower with a baroque lantern at the top was not completed until the end of the 18th century.
Interior
The high altar was built in 1721 by a Berlin craftsman, mainly from painted wood. The altar shows in three pictures; Bottom: " The Last Supper " ; Middle: " The Resurrection " ; Top: " The Effusion of the Holy Spirit " .
Pulpit
The Pulpit in the style of renaissance made by Rudolf Stockmann in 1574. It was the first item of decoration to be installed in St. Mary's Church after the Reformation. Decorated with scenes from the passion of Jesus and a baroque abat-voix
Abat-voix
In religious art and architecture, an abat-voix is a sort of canopy which is placed above a pulpit and which serves the purpose of reflecting the preacher's voice toward the audience.-See also:...
from 1723, the pulpit now creates the effect of a unit. To get over the poor acoustics in St. Mary's, the pulpit was built in the middle of the church to ensure closeness to the congregation.
Stained Windows
The monumental south portal window of the transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
with a height of 26 meters shows The Day of Judgement. It is one of the largest single stained glass windows in Europe and was made by
" Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
ean stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
" from 1894 till 1904.
It survived the Second World War in various states of disrepair.
It was thoroughly restored between 2003 and 2008 by a Mecklenburgean master from Dresden and equipped with a protective glazing.
Astronomical Clock
Behind the high altar on the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
is an astronomical clock
Astronomical clock
An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.-Definition:...
built in 1472 by Hans Düringer
Hans Düringer
Hans Düringer was a clockmaker from Nuremberg in Germany who died 1477 in Rostock. His most famous works are the astronomical clocks in St.Mary's Church, Danzig 1470 and St...
, a clockmaker
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
from Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. It consists of three partitions - Top: Apostle-go-round giving an hourly performance of the apostles crossing before Jesus for a blessing before entry into eternal bliss, and the last, Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
, is shut out http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ohiolair/1/1216844100/tpod.html; Middle: Clock with daily time, zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
, moon phases, and month; Bottom: Calendar, which is valid until 2017. The medieval clock is the only one of its kind still in working condition with its original clockworks.
Baptismal Font
The Bronze font from 1290 is one of the oldest pieces in St. Mary's.
The font is decorated with scenes from the life and passion of Jesus. The font is carried by four kneeling men ( Earth, Water, Air and Fire ) and the lid is crowned by a bronze eagel. According to the inscription, the basin was founded for Easter 1290 and the work was carried out in a Rostock workshop. During the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Bronze font was hidden somewhere in Mecklenburg by the church staff to prevent it from being melted down for war material.
St. Roch Altar
The late gothic St. Roch
St. Roch
St. Roch is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police schooner, the first ship to completely circumnavigate North America, and the second sailing vessel to complete a voyage through the Northwest Passage...
altar is a sidealtar of once 39 in this church. Manufactured from oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
wood in 1530 the master carver
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
can probably be found in the circles around carver Benedict Dreyer of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
. In the centre of the shrine is the patron Saint Roch. An angel points to the plague spot, the attribute of the deadly disease. Roch is a saint of Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
and it is assumed that the altar was built and set up in connection with Black Death epidemics which also ravaged in Rostock.
Organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
maker from Rostock.
Because the lack of enough pressurized air ( referred to as wind ) the sound
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
was weak. That is the reason why this organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was extensively elaborated and enhanced upon throughout the centuries, with among others, Marx, Winzer and Börger. In 1938 the organ was eventually completed by organ builder Sauer, Frankfurt/O. and equipped with an electro-pneumatic action
Tracker action
Tracker action is a term used in reference to pipe organs and steam calliopes to indicate a mechanical linkage between keys or pedals pressed by the organist and the valve that allows air to flow into pipe of the corresponding note...
. Today it consist of four manuals
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
and
a pedalboard, 83 stops
Organ stop
An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; some can be "on" , while others can be "off" .The term can also refer...
( registration
Registration (organ)
Registration is the technique of choosing and combining the stops of a pipe organ in order to produce a particular sound. Registration can also refer to a particular combination of stops...
) and 5.702 organ pipes, with the largest measuring eleven metres ( 32' ), the smallest the size of a cigarette ( 1/2' ). 30 pipes (voices
Voices
Voices is a 2006 translation of a 2003 crime novel by Icelandic author Arnaldur Indriðason, another entry in the multi award-winning Detective Erlendur series. It was first published in English in August, 2006. The Swedish translation of the novel won Sweden's Martin Beck Award for the best crime...
) are remains of the original instrument.
World War II
In the 1942 heavy air raidRaid (military)
Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
s by the RAF, which lasted three days, much of Rostock was destroyed. The sexton
Sexton (office)
A sexton is a church, congregation or synagogue officer charged with the maintenance of its buildings and/or the surrounding graveyard. In smaller places of worship, this office is often combined with that of verger...
of St. Mary's Mr. Bombowski saved the church by decisive action. Although three incendiary bombs
Incendiary ammunition
-World War I:One of the first uses of incendiary ammunition occurred in World War I. At the time, phosphorus—the primary ingredient in the incendiary charge—ignited upon firing, leaving a trail of blue smoke. They were also known as 'smoke tracer' for this reason. The effective range of...
smashed through the roof of the tower, he extinguished the fire with the help from his daughter and a German auxiliary airforce commando. Comment of the former "NSDAP Kreisleiter" ( the local Nazi Party chief ) and then Lord Mayor of Rostock, Walter Volgmann - " The old hut should have burned down ". Inside the church is a famous picture by the painter Egon Tschirch from 1947 which depicts St. Mary's Church surrounded by ruins.
Part of the Rostock Skyline
External links
- Marienkirche Rostock
- Historische Rostocker Bauwerke – Die St.-Marien-Kirche
- Stiftung St.-Marien-Kirche zu Rostock e. V.
- Marien-Kantorei Rostock
Sources
- "Architekturführer DDR Bezirk Rostock " - Verlag für Bauwesen 1977
- "In deinen Mauern herrsche Eintracht und allgemeines Wohlergehen", Karsten Schröder - Ingo Koch Verlag 2002
- "ROSTOCK - a tour of the city under the symbols of bull and griffin", Selma Kleinfeldt - Klatschmohn Verlag 1997
- "Tadellöser & Wolff " , Walter Kempowski - Random House 1996