St. Johannis
Located right in the heart of Göttingen is St. Johanniskirche church, named after St. John the Baptist. Estimated to have been built around the year 1300, the three-aisled hall church is 60 metres long and 19 metres wide. The interior has been redesigned and renovated on numerous occasions.
The two spires of the St. Johanniskirche are landmarks of the city. For over 600 years, the taller northern spire was home to the watchmen, with their old quarters serving as a national tourist attraction until 2001, which visitors had to ascend 238 steps to reach. The helm of the northern spire was destroyed in a fire in 2005 before undergoing renovation which saw the old watchmen’s quarters converted into a chapel.
St. Jacobi
The Evangelical Lutheran parish church of St. Jacobi was constructed between 1361 and 1433 in what is now Göttingen’s old town. The church owes its fame to the significant treasure it houses: the double-winged altarpiece completed by unknown artists in 1402. Its everyday side depicts eight scenes from the legend of the church’s patron, St. James the Greater. Opening the outer wings reveals the Sunday side, which has 16 scenes devoted to Christ’s youth and Passion. Meanwhile, the festival view can be seen when the altarpiece is completely open and presents scenes of Mary’s coronation as the Queen of Heaven in the presence of saints.
