St. Mary's Church, Mühlhausen


St. Mary's Church in the town of Mühlhausen, central Germany, is the second-largest church building in Thuringia after Erfurt Cathedral. Being principally constructed in the 14th century, it is considered a masterpiece of the Gothic style. The church's central spire, at height, is the highest in the state and forms a significant feature of the town's skyline. St. Mary's was a centre of the 1525 German Peasants' War, since the revolutionary leader Thomas Müntzer was active as a pastor at the church.

Building

The church is a five-naved, Gothic hall church made out of local travertine. The central nave is twice as wide as the side aisles. On the western end of the church are the three steeples: two side spires, roughly high, and the main, high central spire. The towers are octagonal, built on a square base and foundation. On the eastern side are three choirs, a large central choir flanked by two smaller ones. Typical of the Gothic style, the central choir is high and narrow. The northern side choir was a baptismal chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas, while the sacristy was located under the southern one.
The interior is divided into four rows by five tall, narrow columns. In the Medieval period, the gallery housed a library. The transept is as wide as the central nave. The southern portal of the transept serves as the main entrance to the church and is typical of the Gothic style.

Bach family

was employed at Divi Blasii, Mühlhausen's other main church in 1707–1708, and is also known to have performed at St. Mary's. His cantata Gott ist mein König was premiered in the church.
Bach visited St. Mary's in 1735, when his son Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach was appointed as organist.