Neuzelle minster, Baroque church building in Neuzelle, Germany
Neuzelle Minster is a Gothic hall church with a Baroque west facade and a tall clock tower topped by an onion dome. Its yellow walls with white pilasters and round-arched windows face the street, while the interior has octagonal pillars and a star-net vault.
Construction of the Gothic hall church began around 1281, with the choir in use by 1309 and the nave finished around 1330; the tower followed between 1380 and 1395. After looting in the Thirty Years' War, it was rebuilt in early Baroque forms from 1654 to 1658 under Abbot Bernhard von Schrattenbach. Between 1703 and 1745, abbots Konrad Proche and Martin Graff had it remodelled in Bohemian Baroque style, adding a sacristy, a clock turret and the Joseph Chapel. Since the monastery's secularisation in 1817 it has served as a Catholic parish church.
The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and has served the Catholic parish of Neuzelle since the monastery was secularised in 1817. The high altar area was rebuilt from 1736 over five years, and the Joseph Chapel was added on the south side by 1745. The main portal, dated 1732, carries three sandstone figures representing the priestly, teaching and pastoral offices.
The building receives visitors most days and provides tours explaining its architectural features. Arriving earlier in the day helps visitors explore the interior at a comfortable pace without crowds.
The church is still served by Cistercian monks: since 1996 the monastery of Maria Friedenshort has run it, and the parish of Beata Maria Virgo Neuzelle is entrusted to them. The building is listed as a Baudenkmal in Brandenburg's monument register.
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