St Laurentius, Gothic parish church in Warendorf, Germany
St. Laurentius is a late Gothic hall church with a monumental neo-Gothic western structure made of sandstone blocks and three-part traceried windows across four bays. The building displays characteristic Gothic proportions with slender pillars and soaring vertical lines.
The church was first mentioned in 1139, but the current building began construction in the mid-14th century with the choir completed before 1414. Further significant additions continued through 1471 as the structure evolved.
The church preserves nine panels from an oak wing altar created in 1414 by the Master of the Warendorf Altar, depicting Passion and Crucifixion scenes.
The interior is accessible to visitors during the day, with regular masses held at set times. Pay attention to the recently recast bronze bells and the organ rebuilt in 2022 when visiting.
Excavations in the 1960s revealed foundations of a Romanesque predecessor church beneath the current building. These discoveries show that houses of worship were built on this site across multiple centuries.
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