Löbenicht Church () was a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

in the Löbenicht quarter of

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History

Originally a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church known as " St. Barbara auf dem Berge", the church was built from 1334 to 1352 and then expanded in 1474. The top of its steeple was destroyed in a storm in 1497 and was rebuilt with four turrets. It was converted to

Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

after the 1525 establishment of the

Duchy of Prussia The Duchy of Prussia (, , ) or Ducal Prussia (; ) was a duchy in the region of Prussia established as a result of secularization of the Monastic Prussia, the territory that remained under the control of the State of the Teutonic Order until t ...

. In 1608 Pastor Christoph Mirau wrote his ''Lobspruch der Stadt Königsberg''. After a lightning strike destroyed the church's steeple in 1695, it was rebuilt in 1702 with a gallery and four turrets. Seven people died after the church's vault collapsed in 1717. The church was destroyed during the great fire of Löbenicht on 11 November 1764; the steeple fell upon Löbenicht's school, setting it ablaze. Johann Ernst Löckel led the church's reconstruction, which was completed in 1776. In 1818 a storm damaged the flag and adornment atop the bell tower. The church was decorated with bright colors in the

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

style. Its combined pulpit/altar (''Kanzelaltar'') was carved by Friedrich Suhse in 1776. The organ was built by Johann Preuss (1722–90) in 1782 and was decorated with Rococo carvings, music-playing angels, and the crowned Prussian eagle. The church was heavily damaged by the 1944 Bombing of Königsberg and was not rebuilt by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

after the 1945 Battle of Königsberg. Pastor Link managed to bring a 1681 silver book cover from the church's collection with him to

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in 1948. The church's remnants were demolished by the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

administration in

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

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, in 1970.

Gallery

Image:Löbenichtschen Kirche 001.jpg, Postcard of the church Image:ID003564 A465 NeuerMarkt.jpg, View of the church from the Neuer Markt image:PartieAmPregelk.jpg, View from the Pregel, including the church, gymnasium, and Propsteikirche

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lobenicht Church Buildings and structures completed in 1352 Churches completed in the 1350s 1334 establishments in Europe 1944 disestablishments in Germany 14th-century churches in Germany Buildings and structures in Germany destroyed during World War II Destroyed churches in Germany Former churches in Königsberg Lutheran churches in Königsberg Lutheran churches converted from Roman Catholicism Rococo architecture in Germany