Germany Guide
Schleswig-Holstein
Jakobikirche
Address: Breite Strasse
The defining sight at the north end of Breite Strasse is the spire of Jakobikirche. The original congregation of sailors and fishermen means its Gothic is far less flashy than that of the Marienkirche, although there are similar pastel frescoes on the pillars, including a large St Christopher – folklore that claimed anyone who saw it would last out the day was probably a ruse to guarantee attendance. Elsewhere a splintered lifeboat from the training barque Pamir, which sunk with all hands in 1957, is the centrepiece of a memorial to drowned mariners in the north chapel, at whose front is a superbly carved spiral staircase from 1606, which loops up to an equally splendid 1504 organ. The older Stellwagen organ in the transept is the one listed among northern Europe's most historical instruments. The church's trump card is the Brömbse Altar, a subtle masterpiece by Hinrik Brabender. The artist carved himself into the Crucifixion scene – he wears a beret next to Mary Magdalene – while the benefactor, mayor Heinrich Brömbse and his wife pay homage from the wings.