--- title: "St. John's Church" url: "https://web.destination.one/en/poi/st-johns-church" description: "The oldest church in Lüneburg is St. John's (St. Johannis), which is already noticeable from afar, because its 108 meter high tower rises obliquely into the sky.During construction around 1384, the tower was 2.20 metres out of alignment to the west. It was supposed to be inclined, because church towers were always placed a little into the wind, so that they did not get the full wind load frontally, but not so strongly pronounced.And still today in Lüneburg one tells oneself the legend of the master builder who erected the leaning tower: After the building he saw what he had done. Thereupon he climbed the stairs to the steeple and plunged shamefully through a window into the depths.However, just at that moment a hay cart drove by. The master builder landed softly and survived the fall. He thought to himself: \"If I'm still alive after this jump, then it must be God's will that the tower is so crooked\". With this certainty he wanted to celebrate the event, got drunk in a pub, fell off the bench there, broke his neck and was dead.Already mentioned in 927 as a baptismal church, the St. Johannis Church is one of the oldest in Lower Saxony. It served as a model for many hall churches in northern Germany, for example in Stendal, Brandenburg, Hanover and Tangermünde. The five-aisled hall church with an almost square ground plan once contained 39 altars. The famous high altar with paintings by Hinrik Funhoff and the magnificent baroque organ are definitely worth seeing. The young Johann Sebastian Bach learned to play the organ and compose here from his uncle Georg Böhm, who worked as cantor and composer in the St. Johannis Church from 1698 to 1733.Tower brass choral:Monday to Friday 09.00, Saturday 10:00Church tours from 1 May to 31 October:every Sunday around 11:15 after the serviceevery Saturday at 12.00as well as by appointment with the church office on tel. 04131 - 445 42 (except Mondays)Tower guides with Lüneburg Tower Guide Guild :Tel: 04131/898 37 11, Fax: 04131/898 37 10 (special tours for groups can be booked all year round)" language: "en" type: "Place" image: "https://dam.destination.one/2682385/d7b24df0b2f7008f6a0c83c83337620249819dcf25f1a0231bf46be5281f4c79/.jpg" breadcrumb: "Root > Homepage > Special > Destination.Data Details > Poi" --- Share St. John's Church ================= - Church *Play video*Play external content Please accept all necessary cookies to watch this video. St. John's Church in Lüneburg, with its striking leaning tower and impressive Baroque organ, is a fascinating example of North German Brick Gothic architecture and an important historical landmark that delights both architecture and music lovers alike. The oldest church in Lüneburg is St. John's (St. Johannis), which is already noticeable from afar, because its 108 meter high tower rises obliquely into the sky. During construction around 1384, the tower was 2.20 metres out of alignment to the west. It was supposed to be inclined, because church towers were always placed a little into the wind, so that they did not get the full wind load frontally, but not so strongly pronounced. And still today in Lüneburg one tells oneself the legend of the master builder who erected the leaning tower: After the building he saw what he had done. Thereupon he climbed the stairs to the steeple and plunged shamefully through a window into the depths. However, just at that moment a hay cart drove by. The master builder landed softly and survived the fall. He thought to himself: "If I'm still alive after this jump, then it must be God's will that the tower is so crooked". With this certainty he wanted to celebrate the event, got drunk in a pub, fell off the bench there, broke his neck and was dead. Already mentioned in 927 as a baptismal church, the St. Johannis Church is one of the oldest in Lower Saxony. It served as a model for many hall churches in northern Germany, for example in Stendal, Brandenburg, Hanover and Tangermünde. The five-aisled hall church with an almost square ground plan once contained 39 altars. The famous high altar with paintings by Hinrik Funhoff and the magnificent baroque organ are definitely worth seeing. The young Johann Sebastian Bach learned to play the organ and compose here from his uncle Georg Böhm, who worked as cantor and composer in the St. Johannis Church from 1698 to 1733. **Tower brass choral:** Monday to Friday 09.00, Saturday 10:00 **Church tours from 1 May to 31 October:** every Sunday around 11:15 after the service every Saturday at 12.00 as well as by appointment with the church office on tel. 04131 - 445 42 (except Mondays) **Tower guides with Lüneburg Tower Guide Guild :** Tel: 04131/898 37 11, Fax: 04131/898 37 10 (special tours for groups can be booked all year round) Read more Good to know ------------ Openings Read more Eligibility - for Groups - for individual guests Contact person Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Johannis**Pastor Dr. Diederik Noordveld** Bei der St. Johanniskirche 2 21335 Lüneburg Author Lüneburg Marketing GmbHRathaus/Am Markt 21335 Lüneburg Organization Lüneburg Marketing GmbH License (master data) Lüneburg Marketing GmbH Nearby ------ View on map - AccomodationsCC0MarTiem Fotografie/ Flusslandschaft Elbe GmbH, Markus Tiemann | - Campsite CC0MarTiem Fotografie/ Flusslandschaft Elbe GmbH, Markus Tiemann | - Campsite CC-BY-SASG Amelinghausen / Robin Sedha | - Farm - Place of interestCC-BY-SAEXC Media/Paul Vogt | - Church CC-BY-SAJohn Wilke | - Church CC0MarTiem Fotografie/ Flusslandschaft Elbe GmbH, Markus Tiemann | - Church Contact **Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Johannis** Bei der St. Johannis Kirche 2 21335 Lüneburg