St. Johannes, Brick Gothic church in Werben, Germany

St. Johannes is a three-nave hall church with a polygonal choir area, constructed from red brick with tall walls. The building displays Brick Gothic features and contains numerous decorated windows from various construction periods.

The building emerged after 1160 when the fortress was granted to the Knights Hospitaller, undergoing several reconstruction phases until its consecration in 1466. The construction history reflects religious and architectural developments over several centuries.

The choir altar consists of two retables stacked in 1721: the lower, from around 1430, shows the Life of the Virgin in eight reliefs, while the upper, nearly a century younger, is devoted to the Trinity. In the north chapel a carved altar from the early 16th century depicts Gertrud and Ottilie beside the Virgin.

The building is accessible daily during warmer months, while visits in colder seasons require advance coordination with the parish office. Planning your visit ahead helps to avoid disappointment.

The brass baptismal font is dated 1489, not 1488, and was cast by Hamburg founder Harmen Bonstede, the same craftsman who made the monumental five-armed candlestick of 1488. Both pieces are among the medieval furnishings that survived in the church.