The St. Nikolai church is the largest medieval church in

Jüterbog Jüterbog () is a historic town in north-eastern Germany, in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg. It is on the Nuthe river at the northern slope of the Fläming hill range, about southwest of Berlin. History The Polabian Slavs, Slavic se ...

Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

is a

Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...

hall church A hall church is a Church (building), church with a nave and aisles of approximately equal height. In England, Flanders and the Netherlands, it is covered by parallel roofs, typically, one for each vessel, whereas in Germany there is often one s ...

construction with field stone dual towers that dominate the cityscape. The church was first mentioned in 1307 and likely

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

in 1488. The

Patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

is St. Nicholas of Myra. The church contains a rare surviving indulgences coffer by Dominican friar

Johann Tetzel Johann Tetzel (c. 1465 – 11 August 1519) was a German Dominican friar and preacher. He was appointed Inquisitor for Poland and Saxony, later becoming the Grand Commissioner for indulgences in Germany. Tetzel was known for granting indulgenc ...

, which were used to finance the construction of

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initiall ...

in Rome. These practices were observed by

Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...

in nearby

Wittenberg Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is the fourth-largest town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. It is situated on the River Elbe, north of Leipzig and south-west of the reunified German ...

, as his parishioners went to Jüterbog to buy the latest indulgence letters. In response, Luther published his famous 95 Theses in 1517, which began the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

Building

St. Nikolai church was first mentioned in 1307. The

was constructed in three phases beginning with the nave. The northern and southern extensions were added to the nave in the early 15th century. The consecration of the church is believed to be in 1488 based on an inscription in the nave. Work on the towers was not completed until after 1500 and the final northern metal

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

was completed in 1617. The church is 71 meters long and 23 meters wide making it the largest in the region around Jüterbog. The

is three-aisled with five

bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

and a

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

. The building is made of three different materials. The nave is predominantly made of red

brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...

with some field stone patches. The vault ribs inside are made of

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

. The nave is supported by attached

buttress A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act ...

es on the outside and has a southern and a northern extension construction. St. Nikolai's overall construction resembles the Church of St. Mary in nearby

. The two towers have five floors and are made of field stone with some more refined elements of sandstone. The upper floor is taller has larger windows. A platform connects both towers over an arched bridge. The northern tower

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...

is an octagon with a canopy and lantern in a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

style and the southern tower spire has the shape of a pointed helmet. The main Gothic

portal Portal may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), a series of video games developed by Valve ** ''Portal'' (video game), a 2007 video game, the first in the series ** '' Portal 2'', the 2011 sequel ** '' Portal Stori ...

between the towers is carved from sandstone and holds a near life size statue of

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...

, the patron saint of the church. Above the portal is a small Gothic

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' wa ...

. The interior is characterized by lively decorations with a pulpit and arches that are both colorfully patterned. The church contains several stone

epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

s for local clergymen and dukes. The elevated high

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

contains elaborate carvings with floral motifs and several colored

putti A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and very often winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University ...

. A central painting of

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

in the

Jerusalem temple The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accor ...

is flanked by two columns on each side. The top contains a triangle with the Hebrew spelling of the

Tetragrammaton The TetragrammatonPronounced ; ; also known as the Tetragram. is the four-letter Hebrew-language theonym (transliteration, transliterated as YHWH or YHVH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four Hebrew letters, written and read from ...

inside symbolizing the Christian

trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

. The main

church organ Carol Williams performing at the West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.html" ;"title="United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel">United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel. In music, the organ is a keyboard instrument of one or mo ...

was built in 1909. The smaller

positive organ A positive organ (also positiv organ, positif organ, portable organ, chair organ, or simply positive, positiv, positif, or chair) (from the Latin verb ''ponere'', "to place") is a small, usually one-manual, pipe organ that is built to be more o ...

from 1657 with five voices is the oldest surviving organ in the state of Brandenburg. The

retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum, it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate struct ...

in the chapel contains a central panel painting showing the lamentation of Christ from about 1515-1520 that is attributed to the workshop of the German Renaissance painter

Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder ( ; – 16 October 1553) was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits, both of German ...

. A soldier memorial is situated south of the main church building. It contains an elevated stone

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...

surrounded by a circle of columns with brick arches. File:Jüterbog vom Fuchsberg - panoramio.jpg, St. Nikolai in Jüterbog File:Jüterbog-Nikolaikirche-6.jpg, Gothic portal with St. Nikolai statue File:Nikolaikirche.Jueterbog.Hochaltar.jpg, High altar File:Jüterbog Nikolaikirche Orgelempore.JPG, Hall church with pulpit and main organ File:Werner-Positiv Nikolai Jüterbog 1657.jpg, Positive organ from 1657 File:St. Nikolai church chapel in Jüterbog, Germany, retable.jpg, Chapel with indulgences coffer and retable File:Nicolaikirchhof Kriegerdenkmal Jüterbog.jpg, Soldier memorial to the south

Indulgences in Jüterbog

A small chapel contains a rare surviving indulgences coffer by Dominican friar

. Archbishop

Albert of Brandenburg Albert von Brandenburg (; 28 June 149024 September 1545) was a German cardinal, elector, Archbishop of Mainz from 1514 to 1545, and Archbishop of Magdeburg from 1513 to 1545. Through his notorious sale of indulgences, he became the catalyst ...

had appointed Tetzel to collect indulgences which were used to finance the construction of

in Rome.

said in his table talks that Tetzel offered his letters of indulgence in Jüterbog because he was not allowed to cross the border to nearby

. When more and more of Luther's parishioners went to Jüterbog to buy the latest indulgence letters, he published his famous 95 Theses in 1517, which began the

. A local folklore story told by German writer

Theodor Fontane Theodor Fontane (; 30 December 1819 – 20 September 1898) was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language Literary realism, realist author. He published the first of his novels, for which he i ...

in his five-volume travelogue ''

Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg ''Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg'' ("Ramblings through Brandenburg", "Rambles in Brandenburg" or "Walks through the Margraviate of Brandenburg, March of Brandenburg") is a five-volume travelogue by the Germany, German writer Theodor Fontan ...

'' (1862–1889) reported that the coffer was robbed from Tetzel by the local

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

Hans von Hake, who had previously bought an indulgence letter for his future sins. German preacher and radical Protestant theologian

Thomas Müntzer Thomas Müntzer ( – 27 May 1525) was a German preacher and theologian of the early Reformation whose opposition to both Martin Luther and the Catholic Church led to his open defiance of late-feudal authority in central Germany. Müntzer was f ...

was a visiting preacher in St. Nikolai during Easter (1519). His radical ideas conflicted with both the Catholic church and Martin Luther. Müntzer participated in the

German Peasants' War The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt () was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It was Europe's largest and most widespread popular uprising befor ...

from 1524 and was executed after being captured. A memorial stone plaque commemorates his preaching in St. Nikolai.

Literature

Georg Dehio Georg Gottfried Julius Dehio (22 November 1850 – 21 March 1932), was a Baltic German art historian. In 1900, Dehio started the "''Handbuch der deutschen Kunstgeschichte''" (Handbook of German Art History), published by Ernst Wasmuth Verlag, ...

(2012): ''Handbuch der deutschen Kunstdenkmäler'', ''Brandenburg.'' 2. edition. pp. 507. Deutscher Kunstverlag, München. * Marie-Luise Buchinger, Marcus Cante (2000): ''Denkmale in Brandenburg. Band 17.1. Landkreis Teltow-Fläming. Stadt Jüterbog mit Kloster Zinna und Gemeinde Niedergörsdorf''. pp. 65–86. Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Worms.
Chapter text online (shortened)
* Landesregierung Brandenburg (publisher) (1992): ''Baukunst in Brandenburg''. DuMont Buchverlag, Köln.

References

External links

(in German)
Detailed information on the Brandenburg state historical monument register
(in German)
Luther2017 - Jüterbog: Der Anstoss für Luthers Thesen
(in German) {{Coord, 51.991135, 13.084778, display=title, format=dms Protestant churches in Brandenburg Buildings and structures completed in 1617 Brick Gothic