St. Elisabeth's Church, Gothic church in Marburg, Germany
St. Elisabeth's Church is a three-aisled hall church of red Marburg sandstone, built on a cruciform plan with a triple-apse choir at the east end. Its nave vaults rise 20.5 m, and the west front carries two tapering spires topped with crosses. Inside, a light-stone choir screen with pinnacles and a central crucifix separates the nave from the raised high choir.
Construction started in 1235 under the direction of the Teutonic Order, soon after Saint Elizabeth of Hungary died. The building was completed in 1283, establishing one of the most important pilgrimage destinations for those devoted to this saint.
The church is officially dedicated to Mary, Mother of God, patroness of the Teutonic Order, which is why carved depictions of Mary appear throughout the building; locals call it the E-Kirche. Since 1946 the north tower chapel has held the grave of Reich President Paul von Hindenburg and his wife Gertrud, moved there from the Tannenberg Memorial.
The medieval architecture creates challenges for visitors with mobility difficulties. Several areas inside have uneven floors and limited space, so plan your visit accordingly if you need easier access.
In the north tower chapel lie Paul von Hindenburg and his wife Gertrud, moved there in 1946; the coffins had been taken from the Tannenberg Memorial in 1945 and found by US troops in a Thuringian salt mine. Excavations since the 1970s also uncovered hundreds of pilgrims' graves beneath the nave.
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