Kirche Mellnsdorf, church

As the oldest building in the village, likely constructed in the first half of the thirteenth century, the church building is undoubtedly of great historical importance. It stands at the southern end of the small village, on the former churchyard. Its location at the southern edge of the village could be linked to it having been shared with the inhabitants of a neighbouring village to the south that was later deserted. The historical significance of the village church includes the memorial plaque for the people from the Mellnsdorf parish who died in the First World War.

The church is a small fieldstone rectangular building consisting of a nave hall, an indented choir and a semicircular apse. The rectangular brickwork is offset by fragments of fieldstone. The bricked gateways in the middle of both sides of the ship can still be recognised, as well as the priest’s portal on the north side of the choir. All this makes the church in Mellnsdorf representative of the late Gothic style of building village churches in the Fläming region, but with its own great architectural and artistic significance.

In 1891 and 1892 the church was extensively renovated, overseen by the Blönsdorf-based priest Ferdinand August Scheele. The renovation involved breaking in the huge arched windows with brick reveals, a new brickwork western gable was introduced, and the characteristic roof tower above the western part of the ship was constructed. This comprises a broadened framework construction and a distinctive spire cladded with slate.

The interior was also rebuilt with a gallery, parish pews and a western gateway with beautiful fittings. The altar also dates back to 1891, and a medieval refectory was added to it as a cover plate with consecration crosses and pricked incisions. This period of time saw the introduction of the baptismal font, the pulpit, and the organ facade that was repaired in 2014.

The church tower was given a new roof in 1957. Mistakes were made, however, meaning rainwater was able to seep into the church interior again and again. Following a violent storm in autumn 2002, the spire was in danger of collapsing. It was removed as a precaution in December and placed next to the church.

The people of Mellnsdorf set up a friends’ association in 2005 and tirelessly raised the required funds to be able to repair the tower and the church. An example to serve as a precedent: In 2008 the association was awarded the district of Teltow-Fläming’s Monument Preservation Prize for its commitment and many ideas.