Vicelin Church Ratekau

The church is one of the best preserved field stone churches or fortified churches from the 12th century in East Holstein

The construction of Ratekauer Church was begun in the 12th century, shortly after Wagrien was conquered by the Holsten in 1138/39. In 1147 Wagrien was given by Henry the Lion to Count Adolf II of Schauenburg and Holstein to the fief. Adolf II commissioned Vizelin with the spread of Christianity among the Slavs. At the same time he began the colonization with new settlers with Christian settlers. Also referred to as Vicelinkirchen churches are St. Peter's Church in Bosau, St. Lawrence Church in Süsel and St. Johannis in Neukirchen (Bad Malente). The start of construction is dated to the year 1156, two years after Vizelin's death. Count Adolf and Bishop Gerold von Oldenburg together sought out the place, as reported by Helmold von Bosau in his Slavic Chronicle. The church was first documented in 1234/1235, when the apse and vault were renewed.It is a Romanesque-style, single-nave hall church with choir and apse and a 48-meter-high (leaning) round tower, which served as a defense tower. The church was built mainly from field stones using gypsum mortar from Segeberger Kalkberg and has a gable roof covered with wood shingles.de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicelinkirche_%28Ratekau%29

The more than 850 years old, in Romanesque style built Vicelin - Church is one of the best preserved churches of the 12th century in Ostholstein.