St. Mary's of all places ? This church, described countless times as the "mother of Brick Gothic"? Are there any new findings from archaeology, art history, or church painting that justify this article? To be honest: no. The reason for my visit today to this globally unique brick basilica is quite mundane: it's one of my favorite places in Lübeck. I'd love to take you inside and share seven suggestions for your next—or your first—visit to St. Mary's. My St. Mary's moments.
7 towers – 7 tips
The memorial chapel – a monument
On the night of March 28-29, 1942, Lübeck was attacked by Royal Air Force aircraft. Many historic buildings, almost a fifth of the old town, and nearly all of the city center's churches fell victim to this reprisal strike, following a German air raid on Coventry Cathedral in 1940, or were severely damaged. The bells of St. Mary's still lie in the memorial chapel of St. Mary's , just as the force of the bomb hurled them down from a height of 60 meters and buried them in the ground. It is said that the decision to leave the bells in this location was a spontaneous idea of the people who were working on the cleanup at the time. And indeed, the sight of the bells is deeply moving.
On the left front – close to the gate – you will see an open memorial book .
As a result of the Second World War, Lübeck took in approximately 100,000 displaced persons and refugees.
The population before the war was 140,000. Many newcomers came to the memorial chapel in St. Mary's to remember their loved ones who died while fleeing and those who went missing. Their names were entered in large memorial books.
Coventry Cross hangs on the chapel wall . The original was pieced together from three carpenter's nails that had once helped hold the ceiling vault together after the destruction of Coventry Cathedral. Thus, from the remnants of destruction, a symbol of forgiveness and new beginnings was created. It still hangs in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral. The St. Mary's parish in Lübeck belongs to the Community of the Cross of Nails , which works for peace and reconciliation in many places around the world. What could be more important!
The Church Mouse
Of course, I always visit Rosemarie, the church mouse , to express a heartfelt wish. The mouse is located in the ambulatory on one of four large-format limestone artworks by Heinrich Brabender from the late 15th century. The "Last Supper," mounted on the northeastern balustrade surrounding the chancel, depicts the little mouse on the left side at the base of the tendrils.
A legend dating back to around 1200 tells of Lübeck's continued freedom as long as the magnificent climbing rose bloomed in a niche on the south wall of St. Mary's Church. However, after a mouse built a nest at the base of the rose and gnawed it to pieces, Lübeck was forced to surrender to Danish troops.
The stone relief also represents the wisdom that great misfortune can arise from small evils.
When you make your wish, you absolutely must stroke Rosemarie, who has turned completely black from all the touching of the churchgoers, with your left hand. Otherwise, your wish won't come true!
The Dance of Death Chapel and Time
The Lübeck painter, graphic artist, and sculptor Bernt Notke created the Dance of Death frieze with 24 religious and secular figures in 1463, presumably under the influence of the effects of the plague. A 30-meter-long copy of the painting was created in 1701, but was destroyed in 1942. The cycle depicted medieval Lübeck and a circle of 24 dancing couples, symbolizing that in the face of death, all people are equal. Whether rich or poor, old or young, famous or unknown: death was and is ever-present and makes no distinction.
This theme is also taken up by the 12-meter-high stained-glass windows in the chapel, designed by Alfred Mahlau . Both windows are divided into seven levels, each with three figures. Memento mori. Depressing? Not at all for me. Rather, I feel called upon to make the most of my talents and use my time wisely. The replica of the astronomical clock, I already introduced it to you in one of our "Interludes" series
The Kemper organ and Dietrich Buxtehude
Church music served religious devotion and was an important vehicle for cultural and social values. It was often the center of a community's musical life, offering composers the opportunity to express their creativity while simultaneously deepening the spiritual experience of the faithful. The relevance of organ music is also evident in its inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Dieterich Buxtehude , worked at St. Mary's Church Lübeck Evening Music he initiated in 1678 were renowned far beyond Lübeck. Buxtehude's catalogue of works lists 275 surviving entries. In 1703, George Frideric Handel in succeeding him as organist at St. Mary's, and at the turn of the year 1706-1707, Johann Sebastian Bach visited the famous musician. He had walked from Arnstadt to Lübeck to "listen to" Buxtehude, to learn from him, and to find inspiration. A stay of four weeks was planned, but Bach stayed for four months. Legend has it that Bach might even have succeeded Buxtehude had it not been for the obligation to marry Buxtehude's daughter, Anna Margaretha, who was said to possess a "severe charm."
The organ on which Buxtehude played was destroyed in 1942. With 101 stops and 8,512 pipes, the Kemper organ, and made of teak, is one of the largest church organs with mechanical action. The longest pipe measures 11 meters, while the smaller pipes are only a few millimeters long. If you stand in the nave of St. Mary's and look up, you will only see a very small portion of the organ pipes.
The murals and a scandal
Wall paintings played a central role in medieval churches, especially for ordinary people who were illiterate. These artistic depictions were visual sermons and instructive narratives that helped believers understand the main aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to biblical scenes, the lives of saints were also depicted.
Wall paintings also served to convey moral lessons.
Scenes of the Last Judgment, the torments of hell, and heavenly rewards reminded believers of the consequences of their actions and encouraged them to live a God-pleasing life. These depictions were powerful and often more effective than words.
The Gothic image of St. Mary remained until 1476. Except for St. Christopher, who – reworked and renewed – can still be seen today larger than life on one of the pillars of the nave, the painted decoration was removed. Walls and columns were whitewashed, thus creating space for Baroque altars and epitaphs.
The heat of the fire in St. Mary's Church in March 1942 revealed paintings from 1330 that had been hidden under a thick layer of whitewash. Systematic uncovering and restoration began as early as 1944.
One of the restorers, Lothar Malskat , went too far: he created the figures of saints in the chancel himself. An art book featuring medieval paintings served as his model. After completion, he worked on the images with sandstone, powder bags, and sponges to make them appear as old as possible. He also usually signed them in a hidden place with "tf LM" ( totum fecit Lothar Malskat ). In 1955, he was convicted of fraud and forgery. Malskat's overpaintings in the nave were preserved, while the forgeries painted in the chancel clerestory were completely washed off in 1957.
Take your time to stroll through the church and get a feel for the interior in the 14th century and its vibrant colors. Red and green dominate. The light walls and pillars of the nave are covered with painted ashlar masonry with red mortar joints. The deep red of the chancel pillars is sure to catch your eye as well. And can you spot the larger-than-life figures of saints in the nave below the clerestory windows? From where you're standing, they don't look so enormous, do they?
Epitaphs and remembrance
Until March 1942, St. Mary's Church was adorned in Baroque splendor. Inside, there were nearly 40 side altars and individual sculptures, and so many epitaphs that St. Mary's was also known as the " Hall of Fame of Lübeck's Patriciate ." Of the 80 Baroque epitaphs—memorial plaques of wealthy Lübeck citizens, mayors, and councilors—only a few remain. The large epitaph of the merchant Füchting in the north aisle, made of marble and alabaster, was crafted in Amsterdam in 1633/1634. I've already described the Füchting Foundation Courtyard on Glockengießerstraße in more detail in a previous article. You can find it here . The Füchting epitaph also includes a magnificent three-armed brass chandelier from 1636 with an inscription.
Chandeliers were donated by private individuals or corporations. The chandeliers you can still see inside today date from the 16th and 17th centuries. On some, you can see the name and coat of arms of the donors on shields. I like the many connections that link individual objects in St. Mary's Church closely to Lübeck's history.
St. Mary's as your place
I enjoy walking around the church and appreciating the different perspectives. It's impossible not to look up again and again. With a clear height of 38.5 meters, the interior is simply breathtaking. Given the slender buttresses and pointed arches, it's easy to understand the motivation of the approximately 120 founding families and the master builders to represent, as it were, heaven on earth through the church's construction and to convey a feeling of closeness to God.
What fascinates me is the technical innovation of the master builders. For around 100 years – roughly between 1250 and 1350 – construction took place on the brick basilica at the highest point of Lübeck's old town island. If you look north from the altar towards the organ, you can even see that the church floor slopes slightly. True pioneers were at work back then! It's no wonder that the building trades are part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Perhaps you'd like to simply sit somewhere and experience the space?
The changing light moods constantly illuminate different spots in the room. You could light a candle at the Christmas tree to remember a loved one. And in a completely simple side chapel, you are invited to write down your deepest wish and place the paper in a box. I am certain that there is that one place in the room where you can recharge and feel safe. You don't need any art historical understanding or specific beliefs to experience this feeling. Just the willingness to open yourself to it.
St. Mary's is open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. A fee of €4.00, known as the " MarienTaler ," is charged as your contribution to the upkeep of this church and its art treasures. At various locations within the church, you can access free audio guides via QR codes, which provide detailed information. If you'd like a short preview, watch our video .
You can enjoy the magnificent sound of the organ in St. Mary's almost every day. The program is available here
My tip: Admission to the midday concerts “ Orgelpunkt Zwölf
Thank you, Barbara. I was born in Lübeck and now live in Hamburg. I always enjoy going back to Lübeck and reliving those memories for a while. Your post is very well done and informative – thank you, and have fun!
Thank you! I feel the same way: visiting the places that live on in my heart is always a joy. Warm greetings to Hamburg!
Dear Ms. Schwartz,
Thank you very much for your lovely article about St. Mary's Church. A small point to note: In paragraph 5 about the murals, you write that the paintings in the chancel spandrels are forgeries by Lothar Malskat and were washed off. It should correctly read "in the chancel clerestory." The paintings in the spandrels below were uncovered from 1953 onwards by his successor, Lothar Schwink, "without adding anything" (quote from "Die Marienkirche zu Lübeck" by Max Hasse, p. 237). These are probably the only medieval paintings in St. Mary's that have survived to us largely in their original state. Sincerely.
Oh, that's an important point. We'll gladly take that into account. Thanks for reading so carefully!
Dear Mrs. Schwartz,
this is my favorite church as a Lübeck native. Even as a child, I was impressed by the fallen bells, as well as the size and height of the church.
Later, I was captivated by the wonderful acoustics, which I often had the pleasure of enjoying there.
When I met my husband in the late 1990s, the church became even more dear to me. At that time, he was an apprentice carpenter who crafted the wood for the astronomical clock. He was even allowed to participate in its construction. It's a beautiful story for us.
Thank you so much for this lovely blog!
K. Höhmann
Oh, what a wonderful personal connection to St. Mary's and such an enrichment of your life story! It remains fascinating to rediscover this church space time and again. Warmest regards to you both!