Michael in Hamburg. Church of St.

The first Church of St. Michael was built in the New Town of Hamburg in 1648 - 1669 by Peter Marquardt and Christoph Corbinus. It was a large, beautiful three-nave church, but it had a short life - in 1750, as a result of a lightning strike, the temple completely burned down and the temple collapsed. The next year, construction of a new church began on the old site according to the design of Johann Leonard Prey and Ernst Georg Sonnin. By 1762, the construction was completed, but the church tower was raised only to the roof level. Only by 1786 were the Hamburgers able to complete the job - the temple was decorated with an elegant and bright tower and became the Michel that the city residents are rightfully proud of even now.

But the trials that befell Michel were far from over. On July 3, 1906, a new blow of fate awaited him - a fire broke out during construction work - the tower completely burned out and collapsed, leaving only the walls of the church. A number of architects and influential citizens of Hamburg spoke out against the restoration of Greater Michel. They proposed to build a new church in the same place - erected in accordance with the spirit of the 20th century. However, ordinary residents of Hamburg, who loved and were proud of their landmark, decided to restore the temple. By 1912, the third Church of St. Michael was built according to the same drawings, but the most modern materials and technologies were used. It was the reinforced concrete structure that helped the third church survive during the Second World War, when Hamburg, as one of the industrial centers and main ports of Germany, was subjected to massive bombing.

In 2008, the image of St. Michael's Church in Hamburg was placed on the reverse of the commemorative 2 euro coin from the "German Federal States" series as a symbol of the federal state of Hamburg.

Architecture

Designed in the 18th century, the Church of St. Michael is a striking example of architecture at the junction of two eras - Baroque and Classicism. The church is symmetrical in plan, its length is 71, width is 51, the height of the nave is 27 meters. Local red burnt brick was used to clad the building; decorative elements were made of limestone; the walls and portals are articulated with Ionic pilasters. Above the main portal of the temple there is a large bronze statue of Archangel Michael defeating the devil.

The impressive 132-meter bell tower of St. Michael's Church is the second tallest in Hamburg, forming a recognizable skyline of the city. At an altitude of 106 meters there is an observation deck, which can be reached by elevator or on foot, overcoming 453 steps. The clock in the bell tower is the largest in Germany. They are made by the company Ungerer. The numbers and hands of the clock are covered with gold leaf. Each of the four dials is eight meters in diameter, the length of the large hand is almost five meters, the small hand is more than three and a half, the weight of each hand is about 130 kilograms. The modern large bell of the church was cast in 2008.

Visitors enter the temple through the base of the tower. The well-lit hall with 2,500 seats has an a-shape plan. The 20-meter-high marble altar with columns on the sides, a wavy superstructure and a golden halo of the Holy Spirit is designed in the Baroque style. Above the altar table is a gilded bronze relief showing the Last Supper, and on the sides of the altar are scenes from the life of Jesus. Next to the altar stands a white Italian marble font, part of what little remains of the second church.

The composers Johann Matteson and Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach are buried in the crypt of St. Michael's Church.

St. Michael's Church, located in the German city of Hamburg, is considered the main Protestant church of the city. The modern church building is the third in a row, but it was made according to the first drawings at the junction of two styles - Baroque and Classicism. The first building was built in the 17th century, but it was completely burned down by a lightning strike. At the beginning of the 20th century, the restored building burned down again, only the walls remained from the building. The reinforced concrete structure of the third church allowed it to survive the Second World War.

The three-nave Church of St. Michael is symmetrical, 71 meters long and 51 meters wide. The building's cladding is made of red burnt brick. A bronze statue of Archangel Michael, defeating the devil, after whom the church is named, is installed above the main portal of the temple.

On the 132-meter bell tower at an altitude of 106 meters there is an observation deck from which a beautiful view of the city opens. The bell clock is the largest in Germany. The main decoration of the interior of the Church of St. Michael is the font made of white Italian marble, remaining from the second building. You can visit an active church only during hours free from services.

Church of St. Nicholas

The Church of St. Nicholas, located in the German city of Hamburg, is the second tallest building in the city. The height of the tower, the only thing left of the church built in the Gothic style in the 19th century, is 147 meters. The church was destroyed during the bombing of the city in 1943. Its tower was a good reference point for aircraft.

The first wooden building was erected on this site in the 12th century and served as a lighthouse for sailors. Over the course of 7 centuries, the building was rebuilt several times; the one that survives today dates back to the 19th century. The structure, after being destroyed during the Second World War, was not erected again, but only in 1990 the skeleton of the church was strengthened and the tower was made safe for visiting. In 1993, a carillon with 51 bells was installed on the tower, which is just a decoration. At the top of the tower, accessible by a special elevator opened in 2005, there is an observation deck from which a beautiful view of Hamburg opens.

Michaeliskirche Church in Hamburg

The Michaeliskirche, more than 130 meters high, is one of the symbols of Hamburg, as well as the largest church in the city (capacity - 2,500 people).

The Protestant church, designed in the 18th century, is 71 meters long, 51 meters wide, and the nave height is 27 meters. The 132-meter bell tower of the temple is the second tallest in the city, and the clock on it is the largest. At an altitude of 106 meters there is an observation deck, which can be reached by climbing 453 steps or taking the elevator.

The building was built at the junction of the Baroque and Classicism eras. The name of the temple is evidenced by the bronze statue of Archangel Michael, defeating the devil, which is installed above the main portal of the church.

The temple was built in the shape of a cross. The altar is 20 meters high and made of marble. Above it is a relief showing the Last Supper and scenes from the life of Jesus.

In 2008, the image of the Michaeliskirche was placed on a commemorative 2 euro coin (German Federal States series).

GPS coordinates: 53° 32" 54"" N, 9° 58" 43"" E

Address: Englische Planke 1, 20459 Hamburg

The main evangelical (Protestant) and largest church in Hamburg. It is one of its most outstanding architectural objects. The image of St. Michael's Church and its tall bell tower with a large clock is the most famous symbol of the city. In common parlance it is called "Big Michel" or simply "Mikhel". Located in the southern part of the New Town.

The construction of St. Michael's Church here, then still in the Hamburg suburb of Neustadt, was first started in 1647 by architects Peter Marquardt and Christoph Corbinus. The consecration of the temple took place on March 14, 1661. But less than a century later, in 1750, it was struck by lightning, causing a fire and the temple burned down.

A year later, the construction of another church in the late Baroque style began on this site under the leadership of Johann Leonard Prey and Ernst Georg Sonnin. The main building was completed by 1762, and the bell tower a little later - by 1786. Moreover, the new tower had a height of 132 m and was clearly visible from ships still far from Hamburg, therefore it became a symbolic lighthouse - the calling card of the city. In 1802, physicist Johann Friedrich Benz used the tower of St. Michael's Church to demonstrate the fall of lead balls, proving the rotation of the Earth.

But this building did not stand much longer - in 1906, as a result of repair work, a fire broke out and this temple also burned down. After this, experts agreed that restoring it was not possible, a completely new building was needed, but the city residents advocated preserving the image of the temple that they had already loved. Then it was decided to rebuild the church according to the old design, but using new technologies.

The new temple was opened on October 19, 1912. It is made of reinforced concrete and lined with red brick. As a result, the city's symbol was preserved, and the new design allowed it to survive even after Allied bombing during World War II. When everything in the area was destroyed, the temple stood. And the relatively minor damage received was repaired during repair work after the end of the war.

The Church of St. Michael the Archangel has a Latin cross shape in plan, 71 m by 51 m. The architectural style is late Baroque with elements of classicism. The façade is decorated with Ionic pilasters, and above the central entrance there is a bronze figure of St. Michael the Archangel defeating the devil.

The main symbol is the 132-meter bell tower of the temple in height in the city, second only to the tower. But the gilded clock on it is the largest in the whole - it has a diameter of 8 m and hands 4.9 m and 3.6 m long. At an altitude of 106 m there is an observation deck from which a magnificent panorama of the entire Hamburg and the port opens. You can climb it either by a 453-step staircase or by elevator.

The baroque interior of the church is somewhat restrained, but elegant, made in white and finely decorated with gilding. The relief above the altar depicts the Last Supper, on the sides there are images with scenes from the life of Jesus Christ. Nearby stands a white marble font from the 18th century. In the crypt of the temple there are burials of famous townspeople dating back to the 18th century. It is also worth noting the excellent acoustics of the Church of St. Michael and its five organs, the main one, Steinmeier, has 85 registers and 6674 pipes. Various concerts and music competitions are often held here.

Next to the Church of St. Michael there is another - Catholic Church of St. Ansgar which is called "Little Michel". The fact is that it was founded in 1605 as the Chapel of St. Michael. And when it became too small for a large number of parishioners, the “Big Michel” was built. The chapel was demolished, and in 1750, the current church was erected in its place, which was temporarily used instead of the burnt Church of St. Michael. In 1811 it became Catholic and was named after the first bishop of Hamburg, Saint Ansgar. But people still call it “Little Michel”.

The most iconic religious building in Hamburg, as well as the calling card of the city, is rightfully considered the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, or “Big Michael,” as the locals affectionately call it. This is a majestic building with a high tower that can be seen from afar.

The temple was first erected on this site in 1661. Previously, a chapel dedicated to St. Michael was located outside the city, in a cemetery. The new church became one of the main ones in Hamburg, ranking with the churches of St. Peter, St. Nicholas, St. Catherine and St. James.

Unfortunately, the monastery did not stand for hundreds of years: already in 1750, during a severe thunderstorm, the tower was struck by lightning. The bell tower caught fire and soon collapsed onto the main building. The flame spread through the tree in a matter of minutes, the result was disastrous - the church burned to the ground. A year later, construction of a temple began again on this site. The main work was completed in 1762, when the church was consecrated and services began to be held in it. However, the builders continued their work, and by 1786 an elegant, thin tower appeared here. Wood and copper sheets were used for its construction, but it was the materials that played a cruel joke on the church: in 1906, repair work was carried out on the roof, and a spark from a blowtorch fell on dry boards, and a fire broke out. Again, they did not have time to put out the fire.

The authorities raised the issue of restoring the structure. Many architects tried to prove that a completely new building was needed, vying with each other to propose their projects. It is impossible to say whether this was a desire to make the city better, or simply to write their name in the history of Hamburg, but the citizens wanted to see a familiar and beloved church in this place. The authorities met the people halfway, but previous mistakes were taken into account: the new building, although completely identical to the destroyed one, was erected from more reliable materials - concrete and steel. Already in 1944 it became clear that the decision was correct. During the bombing of the city, one of the shells hit the nave of the church, but the building itself survived thanks to the reinforced concrete structure. And although the restoration of the temple took many years and enormous costs, they cannot be compared with the funds that would have to be invested in rebuilding this structure from scratch.

Now the Church of St. Michael the Archangel opens its doors to parishioners and guests every day. The portals leading to the temple are perfect and delightful, and the marble arches framing the heavy gates, which depict scenes from biblical scenes, are luxurious. Above the main portal is the patron saint of the monastery - St. Michael. A young winged warrior, dressed in armor, defeats the devil himself with a cross, like a spear.

The famous 132-meter tower also looks impressive. Almost at its top there is an observation deck from which you can admire the surroundings. You can get to it by elevator or, for the most resilient, by stairs, which have more than 450 steps.

However, the main beauty is undoubtedly on the inside. Passing through the hall, you will find yourself in a luxurious spacious room, incredibly bright and light, decorated in white with gilding. Only benches for parishioners made of dark wood slightly dilute and make the room heavier. At the far wall of the hall is a marble altar topped with a crucifix. Not far from him is a font supported by three little angels. The artifact was made back in 1763, now it is one of the few relics that have survived from those times. Also, the pride of the church is its four organs, three of which are united into a single system. The acoustic effect is unimaginable - it feels like music is pouring straight from heaven.

Perhaps the most iconic religious building in Hamburg is the church dedicated to the Archangel Michael, which survived the Second World War.

This beautiful and luxurious church with its sparse interior is now the “calling card” of the city. However, before the building that can be seen today appeared, several of its predecessors were located here, whose fates were rather sad.

The first chapel in honor of St. Michael's was built on the territory of a cemetery outside the city walls. In 1606 the chapel was expanded to become a small church.

In the last year of the Thirty Years' War, 200 meters west of the small church, construction began on the first large church of St. Michael. By this time, the city limits had been expanded, and a new district called Neustadt became part of Hamburg. Construction of the church, designed by architects Peter Marquardt and Christophe Corbinus, lasted from 1647 to 1661. The church became the fifth main temple in Hamburg, along with the churches of St. Peter, St. Nicholas, St. Catherine and St. Jacob. However, its history turned out to be short-lived - on March 10, 1750, at 11 a.m., the church tower was struck by lightning. The resulting fire collapsed the bell tower, which, collapsing onto the building, aggravated the situation - the flames engulfed the entire church and, as a result, it burned out completely.

In 1751 the first stone of the new church was laid. It was built according to the design of architects Johann Leonard Prey and Ernst Georg Sonnin in the Baroque style. On October 19, 1762, the church was consecrated, however, it took more than ten years to completely complete its construction - by 1786 the temple acquired an elegant high tower made of wood and covered with copper sheets.

This church lasted a little longer than its predecessor - on July 3, 1906, during renovation work on the roof of the church, a fire broke out from a blowtorch, which once again destroyed the entire building.

During intense discussions about the restoration of the church, a number of architects spoke out against its reconstruction, proposing new projects. However, the residents of Hamburg wanted to see the church in its former form. When restoring the temple, in order to avoid subsequent problems, it was decided to use more reliable modern materials, such as concrete and steel. Construction work lasted six years, and on October 19, 1912, the revived Church of St. Mikhail again opened its doors to parishioners.

Another misfortune happened to the church during the Second World War - as a result of the bombing carried out by the Anglo-American Air Force in 1944-45, a shell hit the nave of the church. The interior was damaged, but the building itself, thanks to its reinforced concrete structure, managed to survive. Until 1952, the roof of the building was repaired, but intensive restoration work began only in 1983 and continued until 2009. In total, the work cost 26 million euros, the vast majority of which were private donations from Hamburg residents. The city authorities allocated only 600,000 euros, another 300,000 came from the federal budget.

The impressive 132-meter bell tower of St. Michael's Church is the second tallest in Hamburg. At an altitude of 106 meters there is an observation deck, which can be reached by elevator or on foot, overcoming 453 steps. The clock in the bell tower is the largest in Germany. They are manufactured by the Strasbourg company Ungerer. The numbers and hands of the clock are covered with gold leaf. Each of the four dials is eight meters in diameter, the length of the large hand is almost five meters, the small hand is more than three and a half, the weight of each hand is about 130 kilograms. Six bells mounted on the bell tower took their place. wooden connecting beam instead of the previous steel one. The modern large bell of the church was cast in Karlsruhe in 2008.

Above the main portal of the temple there is a huge bronze statue of Archangel Michael defeating the devil.

Passing through the hall located in the church tower, you find yourself in a spacious snow-white hall, decorated with gilding and illuminated by numerous lamps.

On the right side of the entrance there is a large b bronze treasure chest with the image of the Archangel Michael. This is a gift to the church made in 1763 by the architect Ernst Georg Sonnin, who was working on the next project for the church of St. Mikhail.

The twenty-meter high marble altar dates back to 1910 and is crowned with an image of the crucifix and the golden halo of the Holy Spirit. The altar table is decorated with a bronze relief depicting the Last Vespers. The altar painting represents the risen Christ, archangels and Roman soldiers.

Next to the altar stands a white Italian marble font, part of what little remains of the second church. The font was made in 1763 in Livorno and given to Hamburg by local merchants.

The marble pulpit in the Baroque style was installed in 1910 during restoration work carried out in the church after a big fire. Its author is the sculptor from Dresden Otto Lessing.

There are four organs in the church. Three restored instruments are connected to each other by electrical cables, controlled from a single remote control and produce a stunning acoustic effect when it seems that music is pouring straight from heaven. Moreover, each of the organs has its own “specialization”. The central one is intended for the performance of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. The concert organ, located in the choir loft on the north side of the nave, is suitable for less complex classical works. And in the attic there is an organ called Fernwerk, the sounds of which are transmitted to listeners through a lattice gilded dormer window in the ceiling. In 2010, another instrument will appear in the cathedral, designed for chamber works from the time of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. The son of the great father, nicknamed the “Bach of Hamburg,” composer and conductor, who was music director at Michel since 1768, is buried in the basement crypt of the cathedral, where a church organ has recently also been installed.