St. Michaelis Church

It has now stood for more than 350 years - a proud age, even for a venerable landmark. We are talking about Hamburg's main church, St. Michaelis, which - because it has been part of the city for so long - has long been known simply as the "Michel". And it has already experienced a lot: dream weddings, state funerals and the first female pastor of the St. Michaelis parish. The church is also a popular destination for visitors to Hamburg - and there are plenty of good reasons for this: Firstly, there is of course the baroque architecture, which is a real treat to behold. But you see the whole building with different eyes when you know a few of the anecdotes surrounding the Michel.

For example, do you know what the church has to do with a megaphone? Hans Georg Sonnin, one of the two master builders, invented it so that he could instruct the craftsmen at a lofty height. This was not the only brilliant idea he had for the reconstruction of the church, which kept the city busy from 1750 to 1786. You should know that the Michel as we know it today was built on the ruins of another church that was destroyed by a lightning strike and the fire that followed. To ensure that the new building could proceed quickly, Sonnin invented a lifting mechanism that made it possible to remove parts of the ruins as a whole, rather than stone by stone. The tower was not finished until 24 years later. For the sailors, who were largely responsible for what happened in Hamburg at the time, it was the first and last thing they saw of their city.

But this church is not the one that still defines the image of Hamburg today: in 1906, another serious fire broke out during work on the roof structure, and in the years that followed, the Michel was rebuilt - albeit in the same form as before. And it is still impressive today. This applies to its gleaming white interior with its golden decorations as well as to the facade.

But the history of the Michel only really comes to life through the little side stories: Did you know, for example, that the church was once on the verge of becoming a horse stable? That was in 1811, Hamburg was under French occupation and the idea was only averted because the city's merchants provided the necessary horse stables for the French soldiers.

Figures, Data and Facts

• The church has the largest tower clock in Germany.
• One hand weighs a whopping 130 kilos.
• There are a total of 6 bells and 3 organs.
• The largest consists of 6,674 pipes, 85 registers and 5 manuals.
• The way into the tower leads over 453 steps.
• Significantly fewer steps, namely only 30, lead the Michel visitor down into the underworld of the church: the crypt.