St. Mary's Church Groß Salitz

St. Mary's Church in Groß Salitz is one of the oldest churches in Mecklenburg.In 1230, Groß Salitz was mentioned as a parish village in the Ratzeburg tithe register.Contrary to previous assumptions, construction began in the second half of the 13th century. The building was constructed as a three-aisled basilica. This and the unusually rich interior and exterior decoration with molded stones and terracottas suggest that the church had a special significance beyond the region. It was probably a pilgrimage church.At first the church was under the patronage of the parish priest of Gadebusch.By the 17th century at the latest, the patronage was passed on to the Lützow family, to whose estate Groß Salitz had belonged since the beginning of the 14th century. The Lützow burial chapel, two epitaphs from the 16th century and the northern, so-called patronage gallery still bear witness to this today.
The important organ builder Friedrich Friese (I) built the organ that is still in use today in 1818/1819. However, it is in a very poor condition.
The basilica type of building, which is unusual for a village church, the striking, contrasting shape of the tower and nave and an astonishing wealth of architectural and sculptural details make the Groß Salitzer Marienkirche a gem in the rich Mecklenburg church building landscape.In the centuries of its use, there have been numerous construction interventions, changes and renovations. However, it never lost its unique charisma.
After the repair of the church tower in 1995 and the construction of a small community room at the bottom of the tower, maintenance and renovation work is now underway on the basilica. The roof structure of the central nave and its wall support were also renovated in 2006.
Source: kirche-grosssalitz-fv.de