St. Michael, Gothic church building in Brakel, Germany

St. Michael is a Gothic church in Brakel with a distinctive cruciform plan and vaulted interior. The structure is supported by slender buttresses and features tall stained glass windows that surround the choir area.

A hall church excavated in 1997 stood on the site from the 9th to 11th century, with a recessed rectangular choir. The oldest surviving section is a cruciform vaulted basilica from the second half of the 12th century, ending in a three-part stepped choir. Before 1345 a narrow choir bay with a 5/8 close replaced the Romanesque apse, and the north sacristy was added at the same time. After a fire in 1517 the south side choir and south aisle were rebuilt as a hall church.

The archangel Michael, the church's patron, appears above the high altar as a dragon-slayer with a flaming sword, holding a shield with the town coat of arms. That altar was donated in 1748 by Johann von Pein and is attributed to Johann Philipp Pütt's workshop. The side altars of John the Evangelist and John the Baptist were both donated by consul Johannes Crux, in 1769 and 1768.

The building is easily accessible as it sits centrally in Brakel with good pathways around it. Special visits with family-friendly features are available, so check local information for opening hours before planning your stop.

The organ features painted panels depicting the Annunciation of Mary on one side and the Nativity of Jesus on the other. These artistic details are part of a handcrafted feature that visitors often overlook.