St.Mary's church Bernau

St. Mary's Church Bernau, known locally as St. Marienkirche, stands as a magnificent testament to the rich historical tapestry and architectural prowess of Bernau bei Berlin in Brandenburg, Germany. This late Gothic church, with its towering presence, dominates the historic old town of Bernau, inviting visitors to delve into centuries of history and marvel at its remarkable artistic and architectural details.

The History of St. Mary's Church Bernau

The origins of St. Mary's Church Bernau can be traced back to around 1240 when it was initially constructed as a Romanesque basilica. The church underwent a significant transformation around 1280, embracing the Gothic style. Between 1400 and 1519, the basilica was further remodeled into the late Gothic hall church that stands today.

One of the most notable changes in the church’s structure was the demolition of the original fieldstone tower in 1839. Under the guidance of district building inspector Julius Manger, a new 57.4-meter-high brick tower was constructed by 1846, which remains a prominent feature of the church.

St. Mary's Church Bernau also holds a poignant historical significance. A commemorative plaque on one of its pillars, placed in the presence of the Prussian Crown Prince and his consort in 1884, marks the occasion when the mortal remains of King Gustav II Adolf, who fell in the Battle of Lützen in 1632, were laid in the church. This event was accompanied by a funeral sermon as mandated by Elector George William of Brandenburg.

The church’s history is also intertwined with moments of political significance. On the night of May 1, 1933, a communist named Peter Schlawitz climbed the church tower to hoist the Red Flag, a symbol of the socialist and communist movement, which had been sewn by the communist Marie Brendel.

In 1999, construction work on the church square led to the discovery of two bell casting installations on the former cemetery grounds. The remains of a bell mold and several firing channels were found, and a mosaic north of the church now marks the site of this discovery.

Architectural Marvels

St. Mary's Church Bernau is a hall church made of brick, featuring a four-bay nave that is extended on the north side by a second aisle, making it a four-aisled structure. The church is covered with a gable roof over three aisles, while the fourth aisle has transverse gable roofs with buttress gables. The layout of the nave is reminiscent of the four-aisled Church of St. Mary in Kamenz.

The oldest parts of the church are the two northern aisles, which likely date from the late 14th or early 15th century. These were added to the nave of the presumed basilical predecessor, parts of which remain in the northern row of pillars in the nave. The pillars between the two northern aisles are octagonal with semi-circular projections.

The ambulatory choir, dating from around 1480 to 1490, features robust round pillars with twisted services and simple ribbed vaults. The buttresses are drawn inward, appearing externally only as flat pilasters.

The south wall of the nave and the south porch were built around the same time as the choir, characterized by head corbels. The southern aisle and the nave were likely constructed afterward, with octagonal pillars similar to those between the northern aisles. The date 1519 found in the eastern bay of the nave likely marks the completion of the renovation work. The nave and porch feature star vaults, while the southern aisle showcases smaller, imaginative star network figures.

Rich Historical Furnishings

The church’s interior is adorned with an array of valuable artworks. The late Gothic winged altarpiece from around 1520, possibly from the school of Lucas Cranach the Elder, is the most precious. It features 39 figurative and 68 pictorial representations, with the central shrine depicting a Coronation of the Virgin Mary between musical angels and four saints below. The wings display 24 saints in three rows, with additional scenes from the lives of Christ and Mary, and legends of saints on the double wings and stand wings. The rich tracery with carved figures crowns the altar.

The triumphal cross group from 1520, set on a row of carved, crossed tracery arches, dominates the church’s interior view. The richly carved pulpit with a crown-like sound cover dates from 1609, featuring two older carvings of Christ and Mary from around 1500 on the pulpit basket. The chalice-shaped baptismal font dates from the 14th/15th century.

Several artistically valuable carvings and reliefs are noteworthy, including a sandstone relief of Christ on the Mount of Olives from the early 15th century, a smaller wooden relief of the Flagellation of Christ, and a seated Madonna under a canopy from around 1520.

The church also houses two offertory chests from the 16th and 17th centuries, a former sacristy door from the 16th century, and four pastor portraits from the second half of the 17th to the first half of the 19th century. The gallery in the outer northern aisle, built in 1614 as the cloth makers', shoemakers', and servants' choir, features 75 paintings depicting scenes from the Old Testament on its parapet.

The seating from the 16th and 17th centuries is almost entirely preserved, with the richly carved and inlaid mayor's chair from the late 16th century on the south side, featuring carved cheeks from an older chair from the early 16th century, standing out. The student choir retains parts of an organ prospectus from the 16th century, three carvings, and two paintings. The sacristy contains two historical candlestick angels from around 1500 and an antependium of Italian silk from the second half of the 15th century. Numerous epitaphs and grave monuments, mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries, are displayed in the church interior and the southern porch.

The Organ

The organ history of Bernau spans over 500 years. In 1519, Blasius Lehmann built a new organ, supplemented in 1548 by a Rückpositiv or a second organ by Master Leonhard from Frankfurt (Oder). In 1572-1573, the Hamburg organ builder Hans Scherer the Elder created a new work with 26 registers on two manuals, with the pedal attached. This organ's disposition was included in Michael Praetorius's Syntagma musicum (1619). Paul Lüdemann likely added a Brustwerk on a third manual in 1617-1618 and a free pedal work in two flanking towers in 1626.

After repairs by Johann Nette in 1671-1673, a major rebuild by Arp Schnitger in 1710 renewed the wind system, mixed stops, and almost all reed stops, altering the wind chests. The Bernau organist and organ builder Andreas Benjamin Lehmann maintained and repaired the organ from 1740-1770. Johann Simon Buchholz overhauled the organ in 1789-1790, making changes. After war damage, Carl Friedrich Kühnzak's 1816 repair was unsatisfactory, leading to a complete rebuild by Wilhelm Sauer in 1863-1864, featuring a three-manual work with 37 registers on mechanical cone chests behind a neo-Gothic prospectus, still preserved today. Barnim Grüneberg rebuilt the organ in 1905, adding pneumatic actions and a freestanding console, replacing the prospectus pipes in 1925. Sauer's 1951 re-disposition and restoration were followed by a new organ by Mitteldeutscher Orgelbau A. Voigt in 1988-1989, with 29 registers on two manuals and pedal.

Community Life

In the 21st century, St. Mary's Church Bernau serves as a venue for cultural events, particularly utilizing its organ. The church leadership initiated summer concerts at St. Marienkirche, featuring invited musicians, with free admission and voluntary donations encouraged.

In conclusion, St. Mary's Church Bernau is not just an architectural marvel but a living testament to the historical, cultural, and spiritual life of Bernau. Its walls echo stories from centuries past, making it an unmissable destination for anyone visiting this charming town.