Village church Reitwein, Gothic Revival church in Reitwein, Germany.
The Village Church Reitwein is a neo-Gothic brick building erected between 1855 and 1858 to a design by Friedrich August Stüler. Since its destruction in February 1945 during the Battle of the Seelower Höhen it survives as a roofed ruin: the masonry of the nave was secured, and the tower was rebuilt in 1998–1999 with a new spire, cross and clock by metalworker Wilfried Schwuchow of Angermünde.
An earlier church stood at this location from the early 15th century, but it was replaced by the current Gothic Revival building in 1858. The structure suffered severe damage during World War II but went through multiple restoration phases after 1990.
The church is still used for services and cultural events despite being a ruin since 1945. Its neo-Gothic brick design came from Friedrich August Stüler, the Prussian architect who also worked on Berlin's Neues Museum. The patron Rudolf Graf Finck von Finckenstein pushed for the 1855 rebuild, and the Frankfurt painter Anton von Werner helped paint the interior in 1858.
The church is easy to find in the center of the village and is generally accessible for viewing from outside. For access to the interior and church events, it is best to check beforehand since conditions may be limited.
The tower top was only rebuilt in 1999, and the bells were consecrated on 5 October 2001. Blacksmith Wilfried Schwuchow of Angermünde made the spire finial and the clock mechanism. In 1970 the parish council saved the ruin from demolition; it was placed under monument protection in 1983.
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