St. Mary’s Church of Rostock and its Organs
St. Mary’s (German: St. Marien or Marienkirche) is the main church of the University and Hanseatic City of Rostock.
A church of St. Mary is first recorded for the year 1232. Since 1265 it is the church of the city council and the pride of the citizens. Strong efforts have been undertaken to give the church an impressive appearance, to save Rostock one of the leading positions among the cities of the Baltic. The most precious pieces of its furniture are the bronze baptismal font from 1290 and the Astronomical Clock from 1472. In 1451, an organ is mentioned for the first time, and since 1593, organs on the West end of the nave attract the views of every visitor.
Introduction to the History of the Church and Today’s Organ:
2025 Preview
What’s coming up in 2025?
The Main Altar of the church is wrapped by scaffolding and foil, awaiting restoration works, and for the inner structure of the organ, necessary repairs enter planning stage.
Design Competition completed
In September 2024, the Design Competition for “Restoration and the Re-Design od the Organ of St Mary’s Church of Rostock” has been completed.
Structural Analysis of Organ Loft
Eine Kurzdokumentation und drei Animationen zur statischen Konstruktion von Orgel und Empore liegen vor.
Turn of the Year 2022-2023
Some minor developments at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023
Benefit Concert on Sept 17, 2022
On 17 September 2022, a concert of the Deutsches Ärzte-Orchester (German Medics Orchestra) took place in St Mary’s Church as a benefit performance for the restoration of organ and duke’s loft.
Third Meeting of the Advisory Board
On August 18, 2022, the Advisory Board held its third meeting.
Second Meeting of the Advisory Board
On March 24 2022, the advisory board met for the second time and discussed a scheme for the redesign of St. Mary’s organ
Thank you, Daniel Hope!
Daniel Hope is an internationally celebrated Violinist and a well-known presenter. Supporting charity events and social or cultural projects is part of his work. Together with pianist Jacques Ammon, his long-term concert partner, they gave a charity concert for the restoration of the organ of St. Mary's Church of Rostock, performed in the Nikolai Church.…
Extended Advisory Board
On 29 September 2021, the first meeting of the enlarged advisory board for the organ restoration project took place. The enlargement was initiated by new bulding laws of the Lutheran Church of North Germany. The members of the former advisory board have been integrated in the new one. This added to the fact that the…
More Details St. Mary’s Organ History:
Alterations 1836-1917
After 40 years the wind supply was altered. Later modifications include specification, action and the addition of a Swell division
The Marx Organ from 1793
Soon after completion, first faults of the Schmidt organ became obvious. Julius Ernst Marx of Berlin was called to rebuild the instrument.
The Schmidt Organ from 1770
In 1766, Rostock organ builder Paul Schmidt was commissioned to build a new organ for St. Mary’s church.
Organs between 1452 and 1765
1452 first record of an organ, from 1590 to 1593, Heinrich Glowatz builds a large organ (III/52-54) at the nave’s western end
The Organists of St. Mary’s as Composers
Even if the real big name is missing –
some organists of St. Mary’s published works in print
The Great Organ from 1770
The impressive baroque facade of St. Mary’s organ was completed in 1770 by Rostock organ builder Paul Schmidt.
