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The European Route of Brick Gothic was awarded a gold medal for "outstanding achievements in the preservation of historic monuments in Europe" at the denkmal2010 fair in Leipzig.
Bad Doberan - Eighteenth Century Summer Holiday Destination, Home to a World Class Abbey
The unique charm of Brick Gothic resides in the the histories big and small embedded in the form; in the fortunes and idiosyncracies carved into stone: in short, in the tiniest details. The Brick Gothic was baked for what must have seemed like an eternity for its makers, and every Brick Gothic site tells countless stories, whether small or world-changing: stories of power and intrigue, faith and superstition, war and peace, oppression and liberation, destruction and reconstruction. For example in...
Bad Doberan, shaped by Cistercian Monks and Prince Friedrich Franz I.
The town's foundation can be traced back to a Cistercian monastic order based in Amelungsborn (in northwestern Germany), who successfully founded a monastery on the site of today's Bad Doberan, back then home to a Slavic population.
Today's completely preserved monastery church, the Doberan Abbey, is considered to be the successor of a 1232 Romanesque monastery on the site – its own history can be traced back to 1280. The monastery was only inaugurated in 1368; however, the skeleton of the compound and its roofing had been completed decades before that, dating to around 1296. Given the limits imposed by the manpower available to builders at the time, the monastery must have been regarded as a technological wonder at that time!
In this sense, the monastery is the most significant medieval heritage site in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, its interior captivating visitors who come away consistently impressed by the monastery's building, which are of "the highest artistic quality, the completeness and intactness of the liturgical inventory being without equal in the whole of northern Germany," according to Mecklenburg Vorpommern's Heritage Preservation Service, which adds that "the almost completely preserved Cistercian inventory is unique".
Today's completely preserved monastery church, the Doberan Abbey, is considered to be the successor of a 1232 Romanesque monastery on the site – its own history can be traced back to 1280. The monastery was only inaugurated in 1368; however, the skeleton of the compound and its roofing had been completed decades before that, dating to around 1296. Given the limits imposed by the manpower available to builders at the time, the monastery must have been regarded as a technological wonder at that time!
In this sense, the monastery is the most significant medieval heritage site in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, its interior captivating visitors who come away consistently impressed by the monastery's building, which are of "the highest artistic quality, the completeness and intactness of the liturgical inventory being without equal in the whole of northern Germany," according to Mecklenburg Vorpommern's Heritage Preservation Service, which adds that "the almost completely preserved Cistercian inventory is unique".
The Abbey:
The abbey was originally the church of the monastery built on the site in the Early Middle Ages. Over the course of the Middle Ages, the Cistercian monastery (founded in 1186) at Bad Doberan became the most important monastery in Mecklenburg: it was used as the resting place for the Duchy's nobles and was of the highest political and historical significance. It also became important for the economic and cultural interests of Mecklenburg, serving as a tool for the colonisation of the region surrounding the monastery.
The significance of the monastery is still clear today as the visitor takes in the architecture, scale and furnishing of the monastery church, today's abbey. The abbey still present on the site today was originally built as the successor to an earlier church, began shortly after the monastery's foundation and inaugurated in 1232. The skeleton of the present-day abbey was erected in an astonishingly short time (between circa 1280 and 1296) and was a basilica for many years, lacking the steeple erected shortly before its final dedication in 1368. In 1552, after northern Germany's rupture with Catholicism during the Reformation, the abbey began to be used as a church serving a small artisan community in the area; however, the abbey continued to serve as the resting site of the Duke's family (this status was to save the abbey from destruction or substantial alteration). Several reconstructions during the nineteenth century were also crucial for the maintainence of the abbey's form – above all, the work carried out under the instruction of Gotthilf Ludwig Möckel, who is also responsible for many Bad Doberan's other landmarks. The most comprehensive renovation work carried out under Möckel's auspices work occurred largely between 1880 til 1900.
The abbey was originally the church of the monastery built on the site in the Early Middle Ages. Over the course of the Middle Ages, the Cistercian monastery (founded in 1186) at Bad Doberan became the most important monastery in Mecklenburg: it was used as the resting place for the Duchy's nobles and was of the highest political and historical significance. It also became important for the economic and cultural interests of Mecklenburg, serving as a tool for the colonisation of the region surrounding the monastery.
The significance of the monastery is still clear today as the visitor takes in the architecture, scale and furnishing of the monastery church, today's abbey. The abbey still present on the site today was originally built as the successor to an earlier church, began shortly after the monastery's foundation and inaugurated in 1232. The skeleton of the present-day abbey was erected in an astonishingly short time (between circa 1280 and 1296) and was a basilica for many years, lacking the steeple erected shortly before its final dedication in 1368. In 1552, after northern Germany's rupture with Catholicism during the Reformation, the abbey began to be used as a church serving a small artisan community in the area; however, the abbey continued to serve as the resting site of the Duke's family (this status was to save the abbey from destruction or substantial alteration). Several reconstructions during the nineteenth century were also crucial for the maintainence of the abbey's form – above all, the work carried out under the instruction of Gotthilf Ludwig Möckel, who is also responsible for many Bad Doberan's other landmarks. The most comprehensive renovation work carried out under Möckel's auspices work occurred largely between 1880 til 1900.
The Abbey's High Alter - The Oldest Winged Altar in the History of Art:
It is reputed to be the oldest winged alter in Germany – and is also the oldest alter of its type known of by art historians. Unknown craftsman built the alter around the year 1300: the top and middle tier of the altar date to this epoch. In the top tier, the visitor sees parables from the New Testament, while in the middle tier, those from the Old Testament are the focus. In 1350, the altar was enlarged to included scenes showing the abbey's patron St. Sebastian and Pope Fabian as well as images of the apostles. A candleabra featuring the Madonna stood in the altar's centre; this figure was then replaced by a monstrance accompanied by further religious scenes in the altar's centre.
It is reputed to be the oldest winged alter in Germany – and is also the oldest alter of its type known of by art historians. Unknown craftsman built the alter around the year 1300: the top and middle tier of the altar date to this epoch. In the top tier, the visitor sees parables from the New Testament, while in the middle tier, those from the Old Testament are the focus. In 1350, the altar was enlarged to included scenes showing the abbey's patron St. Sebastian and Pope Fabian as well as images of the apostles. A candleabra featuring the Madonna stood in the altar's centre; this figure was then replaced by a monstrance accompanied by further religious scenes in the altar's centre.