Kleine Marienkirche Lippstadt

Kleine Marienkirche Lippstadt is a Gothic church ruin located in the city center. The surviving exterior walls display characteristic Gothic windows divided into sections with early decorative stonework visible on both the north and south sides.

Construction started in the late 12th century with a Romanesque choir for women located at the western end. This section received consecration in 1222 and formed the foundation for later Gothic additions to the building.

The church served as a gathering place for women who lived in community together for centuries. You can still sense from the remaining walls how this group used the space and what role the building held in their daily lives.

The ruins are accessible year-round and located within the medieval monastery walls in the city center. The site is easy to explore on foot and offers clear views of the remaining structures from the surrounding area.

The building had two choirs instead of just one, which was uncommon for a church of this size. This rare layout was specifically designed to serve the needs of the women's community that lived there.