Griese Toarn & Pfarrkirche Mariae Geburt

The tower measures 37 meters and dates from around 1010 to 1050 AD, making it by far the oldest part of the church. Over the centuries, it has proven the quality of Laerschen "Piepstein" s stone. Due to its light but extremely robust properties, the stone, which grew naturally through brine encrustation, was a popular building material in the region until the 20th century. To this day, the "Griese Toarn" is the most impressive example of the beepstone's resilience.

The walls of the parish church tower are a full 2 meters thick and measure 9 x 9 meters in circumference. It is assumed that the fortified tower with its nine-stage stepped gable initially stood in front of a half-timbered church, the nave of which was probably only half as high as the "Griese Toarn". Close below the base of the roof, windows with Romanesque round arches are distributed on all four sides of the tower, which serve as sound holes for the bells of the Nativity of Mary. The vertical, slit-shaped openings in the lower half of the tower, on the other hand, indicate the defensive character of the "Griese Toarn", as they were used as embrasures.

It is likely that messages were also passed on from here to the Iburg, the former seat of the bishop (Benno II), as part of the concept for securing the country.

With the gates of the Kirchhofsburg castle, which still surrounds the church today, closed, the complex offered protection for people's lives and property from looters and robbers in uncertain times, at least until help arrived from the Iburg.

While the design of the two tower gables with their battlements indicates a Gothic period of origin, the Church of the Nativity of Mary, which stands on the site today, was built between 1871 and 1873 and consecrated in 1874. For the construction, the west side of the fortified tower was broken through for a portal. As a hall church, the parish church consists of three naves and four high bays in the nave. There is also a cross-section with an even higher bay and a choir end. The three-aisled high hall is extended on both sides by two aisles to form a five-aisled nave. These side aisles of the hall church are ideal for the 15 Stations of the Cross, the Pieta and the confessionals.

The St. John's Church in Osnabrück served as a model for the parish church of the Catholic parish of St. Mary's Nativity.

History:

• Laer is first mentioned in 851 in a deed of donation from Louis the German. probably a first church made of wood as early as 800;
  
• The construction of a fortified tower in Laer was probably initiated by Bishop Benno II.
• The construction of a fortified tower in Laer was probably initiated by Bishop Benno II to further fortify his area of influence.
• The church was built as a churchyard castle: a church within a closed ring of granaries.
• It is worth noting that the church was built at a total cost of 40,000 talers almost exclusively with funds from the people of Laer and without state subsidies, although the community was not rich.

Stories / Legends:

Piepstein: The Piepstein was formed around 10,000 years ago. You can recognize fossilized reed stems in the rock, which look like whistles, Low German "Piepen.