St. Mary's Church, Mühlhausen

Geschichte

St. Mary's Church (Marienkirche) is a Gothic church in the Thuringian city of Mühlhausen. The church, the second largest in Thuringia after the Erfurt Cathedral, is considered a masterpiece of the Gothic style and was principally constructed in the 14th century. The church's central tower, at 86.7m high, is the highest in the state and is a significant feature of the city's skyline. St. Mary's was a centre for the 1525 German Peasants' War, since the revolutionary leader Thomas Müntzer was active as a pastor at the church.BuildingThe church is a five-naved, Gothic hall church made out of local limestone. The central nave is twice as wide as the side aisles. On the western end of the Church are the three towers: two side towers, roughly 42 meters high, and the main, 86.7m high central tower. The towers are octagonal, built on a square base and foundation. On the eastern side are three choirs, a large central choir flanked by two smaller ones. Typical of the Gothic style, the central choir is high and narrow. The northern side choir was a baptismal chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, while the sacristy was located under the southern one.The interior is divided into four rows by five tall, narrow columns. In the Medieval period, the gallery housed a library (which was common for larger churches to have at the time). The transept is as wide as the central nave. The southern portal of the transept serves as the main entrance to the Church and is typical of the Gothic style.

"Die eindrucksvolle Mühlhäuser Marienkirche mit dem höchsten Kirchturm Thüringens ist weit über die Stadtgrenzen sichtbar. In ihrer Funktion als Müntzergedenkstätte, Museum sowie Begegnungsort mit Religion und Kultur ist die Marienkirche eng mit dem Geschick der Stadt und ihrer Bürger verbunden.Die Ausstellungsbereiche in dem seit 1975 säkularisierten und seither museal genutzten Gebäude bieten ein vielfältiges Angebot. Dem radikalen Reformator und ehemaligen Prediger der Marienkirche, Thomas Müntzer, ist beispielsweise ein eigener Bereich in den Kapellen gewidmet."