The Wanzka Monastery Church is a significant example of North German brick Gothic architecture and is located in the Wanzka district of the municipality of Blankensee. It is closely linked to the history of the Cistercian Wanzka Monastery, which was founded between 1275 and 1283. The monastery complex was solemnly consecrated on January 25, 1290, by Bishop Heinrich von Havelberg. The monastery originally developed from the Broda Double Monastery near Neubrandenburg and served for many years as a spiritual home for unmarried daughters of the regional nobility. One of the most famous abbesses was Adelheit, the only daughter of Duke Ulrich I of Mecklenburg-Stargard.
With the Reformation, the monastery was secularized in 1549, but continued to exist as a Protestant women's convent at least until 1584. During the Thirty Years' War, many of the monastery buildings were destroyed or used as quarries, so the complex survived only partially. The original monastery church was a single-nave brick basilica with a 5/8 chancel. After a devastating fire in 1833, the church was rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style between 1840 and 1843 under the direction of the architect Friedrich Wilhelm Buttel. The church received a flat wooden beam ceiling and a redesigned west façade. Particularly noteworthy is the Neo-Gothic altarpiece from 1905, featuring a Crucifixion based on a painting by Peter Paul Rubens, designed by the artist Berta Zarnekow.
In 2016 and 2017, the monastery church underwent extensive renovations. Among other things, the roof was re-tiled, the façade was restored, windows were repaired, and the ceilings and walls were repainted. The ceremonial rededication took place on September 3, 2017, by Bishop Andreas von Maltzahn. Today, the monastery church serves as a Protestant parish church and belongs to the Wanzka parish in the Mecklenburg church district of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany. In addition to its religious use, it also serves as a cultural venue for concerts and other events. Visitors can tour the church and enjoy the peaceful, contemplative atmosphere on the shores of Lake Wanzka. Current information and event listings can be found on the Blankensee community website.
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