Maria-Magdalena-Kirche, Gothic brick church in Putbus, Germany

Maria-Magdalena-Kirche is a brick church on a rise at the edge of Vilmnitz, in Putbus. It is divided into three parts: a square tower with a tall, dark, pointed spire and narrow windows, a long nave with a bright orange-red pitched roof, and a straight-ended choir. Arched windows and doorways line the lower walls, and a larger arched opening stands at the far right end.

The church was first documented in 1249 and served as a burial site for the Putbus noble family starting in 1351. This role lasted for roughly five centuries until 1860, cementing the building's connection to the region's aristocratic history.

The 1603 sandstone altar was donated by the brothers Erdmann, Ernst Ludwig, Volkmar Wolf and Philip von Putbus, as its inscription records. Its lower tier shows the Last Supper, the pierced centre the Crucifixion, and a relief the meeting of Mary Magdalene with the risen Jesus. The six-sided wooden pulpit of 1709 by Stralsund carver Hans Broder stands on a Moses figure.

The church hosts regular organ concerts during summer months, allowing visitors to experience music in this medieval space. Guests should be prepared for uneven flooring and limited lighting in certain areas when exploring the interior.

Beneath the church's east choir lies a family vault containing 28 coffins, including those of Prince Wilhelm Malte I and his wife. This underground burial chamber preserves the remains of generations from a princely family that once ruled the region.