Meldorf Cathedral (St. John’s Church)

The cathedral of the Dithmarscher, i.e. the St. Johannis church, testifies with its early Gothic brick building from the 13th century 😊

The first cathedral building was built between 810 and 826. Previously, as a result of the Battle of Sventanafeld in 798, Dithmarschen fell to Charlemagne, who promoted Christianization in the region. Built on a tongue of land, the church stood directly on the North Sea with the coastline at that time. After the churches in Hamburg, Heiligenstedten and Schenefeld, it was the fourth church in the North Elbe region.

No matter which direction you approach Meldorf from, you will be greeted from afar by the "Dithmarscher Cathedral".
We are lucky🍀, the door is still open for us because they are still cleaning up for a baptism. St. John's Church, popularly known as the "Dithmarscher Cathedral", is one of the most important medieval church buildings on the west coast. It was built between 1250 and 1300 as a three-aisled basilica with a three-bay transept and a flat-roofed choir. The cathedral received its current exterior appearance after a major fire in 1866. The medieval shape of the interior has essentially been preserved. Before the fire, the church looked more massive, the tower was lower and squatter. Since the organ 🎹 is also being played, we stay in the church a little longer and listen to the music.