Gangolf-Kirche - Oerel

Today, the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Oerel has around 2,500 parishioners. It sees itself as a welcoming parish that is open to people and does not close itself off to their inclinations, needs and traditions.

Long past

The parish has been associated with St. Gangolf as its patron saint since time immemorial and is certainly one of the oldest parishes in the Bremervörde-Zeven church district. This is because it is assumed that a church already existed in Oerel when the village was first mentioned in a document in 937.

Historical walls

The venerable Gangolf Church, whose walls are probably now 1,000 years old, is an architectural testimony to the historical significance of the parish, which the parishioners are also very proud of.

It consists of a central, rectangular room covered by a flat wooden ceiling. This section is the oldest part of the building, which is structurally characterized by the Romanesque style. This room was then extended to the east with the addition of a chancel. The Gothic-style, pointed cross vault is another indication of its later construction. A very special treasure of the church can be admired on its ceiling surfaces: All four surfaces, of which only three have been uncovered so far, are decorated with early medieval frescoes depicting scenes of the Last Judgement.

Inventory from several eras

The altar of Gangolf Church is also of particular importance. Older wood carvings from the pre-Reformation period were integrated into a three-winged wooden frame, which was newly made in 1617. They show scenes of the birth of the infant Jesus in the central field and depictions of all 12 apostles on the side wings.

The church organ, the work of Stade organ builder Georg Wilhelmy, was built in 1831. It has 13 stops in a manual and pedal division, which were extensively restored in 1996.

Built over two centuries

The youngest part of Gangolf Church is the tower, which was added to the west of the nave. Made of wood in 1736, it houses a historically extremely valuable, completely preserved bell from 1763 by the Hamburg bell founder Nicolaus Bieber.

Come and see - real and virtual!