“A magnificent late Gothic hall church” That’s how many describe St Katharinen. But its story is far more than just architecture.
St Katharinen in Brandenburg an der Havel stands proudly. It’s the largest church in the city a testament to the Neustadt’s ambition in the Middle Ages. Its construction began after 1381 under the direction of the Stettin master builder Hinrich Brunsberg. A previous fieldstone church stood on this very spot until 1395.
Imagine the scene in 1401. The newly built St Katharinen was consecrated. Not just to St Catherine but also to St Amalberga and St Nicholas. An inscription in the north chapel marks this date. However dendrochronological dating of the roof structure reveals a slightly earlier completion date of 1399-1400. This only refers to the completion of the nave without the vaulting. The north chapel itself was finished later. It was consecrated in 1434. The ambulatory choir was roofed by 1426 and vaulted before the mid-15th century. A south chapel was added around the same time. The south porch with its upper-floor library was completed at the end of the 15th century.
The Romanesque westwork of the predecessor building was initially reused. It was largely renovated around 1494. This involved bricking up and cladding it with brick. After the north half of the tower collapsed in 1582 it had to be rebuilt. Further renovations occurred in 1725 1842 1864-65 1910-12 1987 and from 1992 onwards. The 1987 renovation restored the medieval spatial arrangement.
St Katharinen’s dimensions are impressive. It’s 73 meters long and 29 meters wide. The roof soars to a height of 38 meters. The impressive roof structure a masterpiece of late medieval carpentry is higher than the nave’s wall. The tower itself is a remarkable 72 meters tall. The ornate exterior is striking. It features burnt material form tiles and terracotta sculptures. These are exceptional. The sculptures are larger than life. They’re almost unique in their use of terracotta.
The interior is equally rich in artistic treasures. The high altar a winged altar with two pairs of wings was created in 1474 by G Weger. The altar’s carvings depict the Madonna between saints and scenes from the life of Jesus. Scenes from the lives of St Catherine and St Amalberga are also depicted. Other treasures include the pulpit dating from 1668 and a baptismal font cast in Erfurt in 1440. The font shows scenes of the baptism of Christ the twelve apostles and the patron saints Catherine and Amalberga. The stained-glass windows designed and executed in 1912 by Otto Linnemann complete the interior’s splendor.
The organ another major component of St Katharinen’s history deserves special mention. The church had two organs in the 16th century. In 1726 Joachim Wagner built a new instrument. This was replaced in 1899. The current magnificent organ built in 2020 boasts 96 registers five manuals and a pedal. It’s Brandenburg’s largest organ featuring 6364 pipes.
But St Katharinen’s story includes tragedy too. On March 30 1582 the tower collapsed. Three journeymen organists were miraculously unharmed. The tower was later rebuilt by the Milanese master builder Johann Baptista de Sala. Balthasar Richter a master carpenter from Dresden completed the reconstruction.
King Gustavus Adolphus lay in state in St Katharinen from December 11 to 19 1632 after the Battle of Lützen. His body was kept here awaiting the arrival of his widow Queen Maria Eleonora.
St Katharinen’s history is a rich tapestry of construction triumph tragedy artistic brilliance and historical significance. It’s a story woven into the very fabric of Brandenburg an der Havel.