Marienkirche

The Marienkirche in Rendsburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is a splendid testament to the architectural and historical tapestry of the region. As the oldest church in Rendsburg, this late Gothic brick hall church not only stands as a place of worship but also as a beacon of the town’s rich cultural heritage.

The Historical Tapestry of Marienkirche

The roots of Marienkirche stretch back to the mid-13th century when the residents of Reinoldsburg were part of the parish of Jevenstedt, which had its own church before 1190. The first church on the Eider Island in Rendsburg's old town was documented between 1236 and 1246. Unfortunately, a devastating city fire in 1286 reduced this early church to ashes. The following year, in 1287, construction began on the current church at the highest point of the Eider Island. By around 1300, the 5/8 polygonal choir was completed, and by 1330, the three-nave, four-bay hall made of brick was finished. The low tower, nestled between two older chapels from the early 15th century, was added in 1454.

The vault of the church was adorned shortly after its completion, with surviving depictions of the Resurrected Christ, angels, dragon heads, and St. Christopher. The ribs and arches were decorated with vines and ornaments from the 15th century. The Reformation began to take root in Rendsburg in 1528 when Duke Frederick I, who held the church patronage, appointed the Lutheran preacher Dr. Peter Mellitius as the pleban. For over a decade, both Catholic and Protestant services were held side by side until the Reformation gradually and peacefully prevailed under Pastor Johan Meier, who served from 1532 for thirty years.

Architectural Evolution

In 1579, the tower was crowned with its pinnacle, and a roof rider was added, both of which have undergone multiple renovations over the centuries. The Schleswig-Holstein Uprising of 1848/49 inflicted damage upon the church, prompting a restoration by government architect Johann Friedrich Holm in the Neo-Gothic style. This restoration saw the replacement of the original entrances on the north and south sides of the nave with a newly created west portal and passages to the tower room. The 1663 rood screen was removed, and galleries were installed instead. The organ gallery, enlarged in 1850, was remodeled again in 1922, incorporating the reliefs from the dismantled gallery stalls of the Gude family, dating back to 1603, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the Passion of Christ, along with memorial plaques from 1674 and 1682.

Intricate Interior and Artifacts

Stepping inside Marienkirche, one is greeted by an array of historical and artistic treasures. The oldest piece of inventory is the bronze baptismal font from the mid-14th century, supported by three figures and featuring depictions of the enthroned Christ, St. George with the dragon, St. Martin of Tours, the Fall of Man, and the donor’s coat of arms. The Latin inscription is curiously upside down. The baptismal cover, dating from around 1600, now resides in the northern tower chapel. Another significant artifact is a crucifixion group from 1510.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, Rendsburg’s affluent citizens and noble families generously adorned the church with magnificent epitaphs, many attributed to Hans Peper. An 1817 painting of Martin Luther by the Italian artist Pellicia, who was decorating Gut Emkendorf at the time, adds to the church's rich collection. The stained glass windows in the choir, depicting the Crucifixion and Resurrection, were donated in 1899. The east windows in the nave, illustrating the four Evangelists, were designed by artist Käte Lassen and installed in 1950, sponsored by the wealthy shipowner Thomas Johann Gottfried Entz von Zerssen. The window above the west entrance, created by Dorothee Wallner, was a gift for the church's 700th anniversary in 1987.

Remarkable Features

The pulpit, crafted by Rendsburg carver Hans Peper in 1597 in the late Renaissance style, was a donation from Mayor Peter Gude and his wife, as indicated by the inscription below the reliefs on the pulpit basket. After a pillar collapse in 1619 due to the opening of the Gude family crypt near the original pulpit location, it was commissioned again in 1621 and recreated by Hans Peper according to the original designs. The date of restoration is inscribed below the soundboard, which features the Evangelists and the Gude family crest. The pulpit basket showcases six reliefs depicting the salvation history, including the creation of Eve, the Annunciation, Christmas, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Last Judgment.

The altar, donated by Elisabeth Beling in memory of her son Oswald Beling, who is buried there, is a masterpiece of late Mannerism by Dithmarschen woodcarver Henning Claussen from Neuenkirchen, dating to 1649. The altar's richly ornamented reliefs and freestanding figures present a program illustrating Lutheran doctrine. The predella panels, the only parts of the altar made of alabaster rather than wood, depict the Last Supper and two feeding miracles from the Israelites' desert wanderings. The main panel portrays the Crucifixion of Christ, flanked by full-figure representations of Moses, symbolizing the Law, and John the Baptist, pointing to salvation through grace. Above are freestanding figures of apostles and evangelists holding Bibles, emphasizing the foundation of faith. The topmost relief depicts Christ's Resurrection, with a medallion warning of the Last Judgment with a biblical quote from 1 Corinthians 16:22. The structure is crowned by a figure of Peter, also holding a Bible. The wings depict the sacrifice of Isaac and the baptism of Jesus, with four donor coats of arms beneath the main image. The original painting was restored in 1969.

Musical Heritage

The church houses two significant organs. The main organ, built in 1972 by the Walcker organ company from Ludwigsburg, was technically overhauled and re-intoned by the Paschen organ company in 1995, and equipped with an electric setter system. It boasts 44 registers on three manuals and a pedal. The 1988 choir organ, a Renaissance organ replica built by the Hillebrand organ company, features eight registers on two manuals, with mechanical action and an electric subbass 16' in the pedal.

Resonant Bells

The tower houses five bells, with the oldest, sounding in F#, likely dating back to the church's construction. Another bell, sounding in E, was cast in 1437, weighing 1,325 kg and bearing an inscription of the Annunciation. The deepest bell, sounding in B and weighing approximately 2,750 kg, was cast in 1753 by Johann Annowitz in Lübeck. The remaining bells sound in C# and G#. The roof rider contains two additional bells, a clock bell from 1535 and a quarter-hour bell from 1682.

Marienkirche is not just a place of worship but a cornerstone of Rendsburg's historical and cultural identity. Its walls, adorned with centuries-old art and relics, echo the rich history and spiritual journey of the town and its people. A visit to this magnificent church offers a profound glimpse into the past, making it an essential stop for any traveler exploring the heart of Schleswig-Holstein.