St. Peter's Church (Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul), Görlitz

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Church
Enthroned above the Neisse River, St. Peter’s Church is said to be the landmark of the city.
Visitors approaching the city from the East can enjoy an imposing view: the mighty eastern choir with its towering, 72m-long copper roof heralds the former strength and wealth of the city. It emerged in the 11th century from an early castle church. With the development of the urban municipality at the beginning of the 13th century, it rose to become the city parish. In 1372, the Peter and Paul Church, as its full patrocinium reads, became the sole main church of the town, while St. Nicholas' Church was reduced to its filial. In 1423, during the Gothic period, the church was rebuilt into a mighty five-aisled hall church, decorated with numerous towers, which was also intended to document its increased status on the outside. St. Peter's Church in Görlitz is the largest and oldest church of this type in Saxony and became the model for all later buildings.

The attraction in St. Peter's Church is the "Sun Organ". It was created in 1697 by the Italian organ builder Eugenio Casparini. Its special features include a facade with 17 "suns" (radially arranged pipes) and a spectacular register (e.g. animal voices). The instrument is regularly heard at concerts, church services and devotions. Orgelpunkt (presentation of the "Sun Organ"): every Sunday at 12 o‘clock, from April to October every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 12 o’clock, on public holidays at 12 o’clock.

Every year on Good Friday, the Stations of the Cross procession take place from St Peter's Church to the Holy Sepulchre.

Good to know

Openings

In January and February, the parish church is closed from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays in January and February it is open from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.
The service takes place on Sundays at 10:00 o‘clock.
Organ presentation (Orgel Punkt 12):
every Sunday at 12 o‘clock, from April to October every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 12 o’clock, on public holidays at 12 o’clock

Price info

Admission is free. A donation is requested.

Directions & Parking facilities

Anreise
By car, drive to Obermarkt, then walk about 8 minutes along Brüderstraße and Untermarkt and turn into Peterstraße, from there it is only about 3 minutes to the church.

Parken
There are numerous paid parking spaces at the Obermarkt.

Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel
Take tram line 1 or 2 to the Jägerkaserne stop, then walk for about 8 minutes along Langenstraße and Untermarkt and turn into Peterstraße, from there it is only about 3 minutes to the church. For more information visit: https://www.goerlitztakt.de/de/

Author

Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec GmbH

Organization

Das Landschaftswunderland Oberlausitz

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Getting there

St. Peter's Church (Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul), Görlitz
Bei der Peterskirche 9
02826 Görlitz