St. Nikolai Church Kotzenbüll

Kotzenbüll's St. Nicholas Church is a true gem, one you wouldn't expect to find in such a small village. The church, with the oldest church doors in Schleswig-Holstein, dates back to 1495, and the baptismal font, the oldest piece, probably arrived in Kotzenbüll before 1300.Inside the unique Färber organ and the richly decorated carved altar, the historic choir stands are a special feature. Their openings amplify the sound so well
and clearly that every word can be heard even in the farthest corner – without electrical amplification.The specially erected support beams hold the building upright, which sways due to the precarious foundation of the mound on which the church stands. Depending on the weather, humidity, or dryness, the soil of the mound changes, and the church walls begin to move. This can be seen in many places. Cracks run through the walls
and the valuable church windows are shattered. The tower is also moving
and is separating
from the nave.No other church in Eiderstedt has as extensive a work to do as Kotzenbüll.The walls need to be repointed to prevent water from penetrating.Countless broken stones need to be replaced. All of this is painstaking work by hand.The roof needs to be re-tiled because the old slate tiles are coming loose and flying across the churchyard during storms. To make matters worse, the wooden beams inside the church
are infested with pests. The most important thing, however, is to eliminate the cause of the damage and securely establish the church on the mound.eiderstedter-schutzengel.de/unsere-kirchen/kotzenbuell-st-nikolai

A very worthwhile detour