Gardelegen - Nikolaikirche

The first written mention dates from "1121 as "Gardeleve", when the Bishop of Halberstadt confirmed the charter and ownership of the Schöningen monastery.

Gardelegen is also mentioned in 1196 in the assignment of Brandenburg goods to the Archdiocese of Magdeburg. A short time later important buildings were erected here: St. Marienkirche, St. Nikolaikirche and the town hall were built. The brewing rights were granted in 1314, since then, Gardelegen has been known nationwide for hop growing and Garley beer.

After Gardelegen was invited to Lübeck for the Hanseatic Days, Gardelegen joined the Hanseatic League in 1358. After a dispute with the Brandenburg Elector Johann Cicero due to an arbitrary increase in the tax rate, the city had to leave the Hanseatic League.

Reformation reached Gardelegen in 1539, at the time, construction work began on the fortifications to protect the city. In 1553 the construction of the four city gates was completed. At that time Gardelegen was a prosperous town due to trade, the town hall was built and a town school was established. During the Thirty Years' War numerous marauders passed through the city. From 1626 to 1648, Sweden occupied the city. After the city was plundered and burned, large parts of the fortifications were used to rebuild the city.
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On the site of the present church probably stood a wooden mission church from Carolingian times. The present church was built around 1200 as a Romanesque brick building. The builder was Heinrich von Gardelegen, who lived at Gardelegen Castle from 1186 to 1192. Later there were alterations and extensions in the Gothic style. The nave was rebuilt as a hall church at the end of the 15th century, and the tower was rebuilt after 1500.

Towards the end of the Second World War, in March 1945, the church was largely destroyed by bombs. It was not until 1991 that restoration work began, during which the spire was re-roofed.

Of the church, the 54-meter-high tower and the choir are preserved, of the nave only the exterior walls and the round pillars in the interior are standing.