St. Peter's Church (Lübeck)

St Peter’s Church stands in Lübeck’s old town, first recorded in 1170. It was rebuilt several times and finished in the 15th century as a five-aisled brick hall church. The Reformation made it Protestant in 1529–30. In 1942 an air raid destroyed the roof, spire and interior. After the war the church served briefly as a lapidarium for salvaged fragments from other war-damaged churches. The church’s wide west tower and three eastern apses remain from the Gothic design. Only a few five-aisled churches exist, and St Peter’s is one of them. The baroque baptismal font survived the bombing, but most historic furnishings were lost. Restoration finished in 1987 left a plain whitewashed interior intended for modern use. Inside, visitors find a simple five-aisled space lit by modern artworks. Arnulf Rainer’s altar cross and Hanna Jäger’s neon cross stand at the east end. The 1992 organ by Hinrich Otto Paschen has 19 stops and mechanical action. The organist sits facing the congregation, with the console linked to the positive.