Church ruins - "Desert church" - Domherrenhagen

Desert church Domherrenhagen, © "Kirche-MV" — ©© "Kirche-MV"

Monuments and Sights, Churches

The church of St. Nikolai Domherrenhagen is also known as the "desert church" - a ruined church

From the history of Domherrenhagen

The village (ca. 1200) is assigned to Güstrow Cathedral Abbey after 1226 and is mentioned several times in its records until 1500. The church is purely Romanesque.
1271 - The church is completed. Rambow is assigned to this church. The church is dedicated to HI. Nicholas of Myra (*270+326/265).
1272 - A will from Rostock establishes a pilgrimage to "Sunte Klawens bi Ulrickshusen".
1458 - Deserted for unknown reasons (climatic disasters, epidemics?). Hence the name "Deserted Church". Dorfmark is annexed to Ulrichshusen (J.v.Moltzahn) in 1458. 4 churches and village area, with 4 large woodland plots remain with the church in Rambow to provide for the pastor and schoolmaster.
1486 - Church built in Rambow. Altar and inventory (chalices and books) are moved there.
1634 - War comes to Mecklenburg with changing troops. Those who can, flee to towns. Berndt Ludolf Molzan (Ulrichshusen) is Wallenstein's quartermaster general.
The church burns down in the turmoil of war. A layer of fire is still visible.
1638 - The Swedish General Baner is quartered in Grubenhagen.
1645 - The ruins are mentioned as "Wüste Kirche" or "De verwäust Kirch" in Low German.
1839 - Pastor Reuschel has the cemetery wall torn down to make way for a larger field
1902 - "The whole ruin." gives the impression that it will soon be blown apart by the slow but steady work of tree roots in the ground.
1945 - 1953 - Misused as a quarry for road construction. The east gable is endangered, the ruins have long been a paradise for vandals. What was found during wild "excavations" disappeared privately and was unfortunately lost to us all.
1985 - the ruins are used as grazing land for cattle. From 1985, efforts were made to signpost and secure the site. Wild excavations stopped. From 1988 - Easter service in the early morning.
1991 / 92 - Cemetery wall, pond and oak avenue rebuilt according to historical model.
2003 - Renovation. Originally, 7 large beech trees were to provide protection. However, all the trees were felled, the rock masonry grouted and the ruins secured. Occasional church services, weddings, baptisms and concerts.
2017 / 18 - "de verwäust Kirch" St. Nikolai Domherrenhagen is integrated into the Mecklenburg Chapel Trail and receives a cross, bench and bronze sculpture "I am the bread of life" (Kathrin Wetzel, Gessin). Overall design: Eckart Hübener, Rambow.

Special features of local legends:

The desert church is the backdrop to an extraordinarily rich world of legends and ghosts around Ulrichshusen and Rambow, documented by Prof. Richard Wossidlo (Waren/M. 1839-1939) between 1886 and 1939.

Desert church Domherrenhagen, © Peter Ramsch — ©© Peter Ramsch

Good to know

Contact

"Wüste Kirche" - Kirchruine - Kirche St. Nikolai Domherrenhagen

17194 Moltzow

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"Wüste Kirche" - Kirchruine - Kirche St. Nikolai Domherrenhagen
17194 Moltzow

What's nearby?

To the map

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