Stralsund - Nikolaikirche

Slavic Ranen lived on the island of Ruegen and the mainland opposite the island. They were independent heathens up to the middle of the 12th century, and so maybe the last non-Christian people in Central Europe.

In 1168 Danish King Valdemar I defeated the Ranen and destroyed "Jaromarsburg" their main sanctuary. After the Danish victory, the Slavic princes became feudatories of the Danish crown and accepted the Christian faith.

They founded Strale, which prospered because of the rich herring stocks in the waters, many merchants settled here who saw this as their basis for trade. Already in 1234 Slavic Prince Wizlaw I granted the village the town charter (Lübsches Stadtrecht). Stralsund now became an important trading town in the Baltic region, mainly due to settlers from Westphalia. The German settlers clearly outnumbered the Slavic population already around 1300. From 1325 on Stralsund belonged to Pomerania-Wolgast. In the 14th century, it was the most important Hanseatic city in the southern Baltic region after Lübeck.

The 15th century was Stralsund's heyday. Long-distance trade was the most important economic factor. Around 1450, 350 merchants were involved in such trade. In 1488, 50 skippers founded the "St. Marienbruderschaft der Schiffer", the forerunner of the still existing "Stralsund Schiffercompagnie".

As early as 1525, the majority of Stralsund's citizens converted to the Protestant faith. After the Thirty Years' War Stralsund belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden for almost 200 years. In 1815 Stralsund came to Prussia.
-

The town hall and the Nikolaikirche form an impressive architectural ensemble. The planning and construction of the church went hand in hand with the planning of the town hall. The city council was even the trustee for the construction of the new church. The church was initially built as a hall church but following the example of Lübeck's Marienkirche, the unfinished Nikolaikirche was rebuilt into a basilica around 1270.

From the beginning, the church was built with brick produces in the region. Around 1308, the enclosing wall of the choir was closed. This is the result of dendrochronological investigations.

With the start of construction work on the new choir pillars, the eastern part of the predecessor church, which had still been used until then, was finally demolished. An invoice from 1314 for the ridge turret of the choir indicates the date of completion of this section.

Construction of the tower to the west began as early as 1300. Around 1314, when the tower had reached the height of the choir enclosure at 13 metres, the council decided to have two towers built.

Around 1350, the construction of the nave between the two towers was completed.

Astronomical clocks were marvels of technology in the Middle Ages. Very expensive high-tech devices that only a few communities could afford.

The astronomical clock of the Nikolaikirche is an astrolabe clock. It is the oldest mechanical clock in the world to have been preserved in its original state. According to an inscription on it, the clock was completed by Nikolaus Lilienfeld on St. Nicholas' Day 1394. It was probably damaged in 1525, when the Protestants raided the church, and has not worked since then. So it has been preserved almost entirely in its original condition. The clockwork and the indications have never been restored.

The clock's case is square is about 16m³. The dial is round. In the four corners, four men are depicted.

Top left: Ptolemy, Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer and astrologer. His banner reads "Inferiora reguntur a superioribus" (Lower things are ruled by higher things.)

Top right: Alfonso X, King of Castile, Léon and Galicia and sponsor of the Alfonsine tables of astronomical data. His banner: "Motus solis et planetarum in obliquo circulo est" (The motion of the sun and the planets is in an oblique circle.)

Bottom left: Ali ibn Ridwan (labelled Hali), the Islamic physician and astrologer. His banner: "Dies est elevacio solis super orizontem" (The day is the elevation of the sun above the horizon.)

Bottom right: Abu Ma'shar (labelled Albumazar), the Persian mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. His banner: "Sapiens vir dominabitur astris" (The wise man will rule over the stars.)

The small portrait of Master Nikolaus Lilienfeld, the clockmaker, is not visible from here.