Like a moth to the light, I am invariably drawn to certain kinds of cathedrals or churches or abbey ruins. Thus it has always been as I travelled throughout Europe and Great Britain and this trip is proving to be no exception to that.

 

Discovering the beautiful old Marktkirche in the heart of the historic precinct on Hannover was made all the better when we heard music drifting outward into the plaza. Ever curious about what was going on during a Wednesday afternoon, we had a marvelous moment of serendipity as we happened upon the rehearsals for the Easter weekend concert performance of a Mozart Requiem and several other pieces in a similar vein. The music was glorious and there were less than a handful of people watching from the back.

I don’t know that I ever remember being inside such a large church where the brick vaulting was so evident instead of plastered and painted over. But lest you think that it made it feel heavy or oppressive inside, let me assure you that the height of the interior dispelled any sensation of being dark or enclosed. And the acoustics were marvelous!

It was apparent that the church had been rebuilt — most likely after World War II — but it was not until I did some research following our visit that I discovered that Marktkirche had been built in the 14th century and was flattened by bombs in 1943. The church was then rebuilt in the 1950s.

A prominent statue of Martin Luther outside reveals that it is indeed a Lutheran church. The other giveaway is the very plain yet serene and lovely interior which is devoid of the ornate ornamentation so common amongst Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals.

The entry portal leads to doors with a rather startling subject matter — the events in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. They were created by the artist Gerhard Marcks and I found them quite compelling.

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