Michaeliskirche

I had read that one of the best places to experience the sink of the city is at one of the three main churches 

in town, Michaeliskirche (St. Michael's Church).  So the girls and I headed across town to find the church.

On the way there we took one straight street that had a sudden hill sloping a few meters down (caused by the earth sinking!)  Then we started to notice many of the buildings had slanty parts.  Then we rounded a corner and there was the church. 

It is pretty big!  So far it looks solid...  

When we entered we were the only people there aside from one woman sitting at the information desk.  She had a hymnal open on her lap and was singing hymns and the sound of her voice reverberated through the church.  The girls stepped in through the door and just stood in awe looking at the huge columns and listening to the song floating through the air. 

There is very little written in English in Luneburg, even at the tourist sites.  I find it hard to stop and spend the time translating things when I'm on my own with two little ones.  I'm sure there were many interesting facts we missed out on here, but it was still pretty amazing to be inside this church.  I have theory that the beams stretching from the tops of the columns were placed there to combat the effects of the sink, years after the church was built.

Here's some clear evidence of the way the church is sinking. These are not small columns so it is slightly frightening to see them slanted so obviously.  See that little white-hatted head in the bottom left corner?  That's S.  She's in a strong phase of don't-take-any-photos-of-me and in Luneburg she was especially adamant about it.  

Helping the column tilt the other way. 

That's my precious child standing underneath that enormous leaning column. 

The cracks in the walls were a little disconcerting too.