Kessin Church

Kessin Church – Over 850 Years of History in the Rostock District

The Kessin Church in the Rostock district is one of the oldest religious buildings in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It was first mentioned in a document as early as 1171, and the origins of the structure date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The recessed choir is considered the oldest surviving part of the church and was built from characteristic granite fieldstones—a building material that was widely used in the North German Lowlands. The window reveals and the east gable, on the other hand, are constructed of brick.

Medieval murals and a historic bell from Rostock

During a comprehensive restoration in 1977, large portions of the medieval murals in the Kessin church were restored. Of particular note is the largest bell in the present-day church tower: it originates from St. Jakobi Church in Rostock, which was destroyed during World War II. The church tower itself was rebuilt in 1886 after its predecessor burned down following a lightning strike. Northwest of the church stands the rectory, built in 1696—one of the oldest buildings in the region and now a designated historic landmark.

Kessin and its church as a destination on the Baltic Sea coast

Kessin is located very close to Rostock and can easily be combined with a trip to the Mecklenburg Baltic Sea coast. Anyone exploring the region around Rostock—such as the Fischland-Darß-Zingst area or the Hanseatic city itself—will find in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kessin a quiet testament to Mecklenburg’s more than 1,000-year-old settlement history.