Among the jewels of brick Gothic in the country is the parish church in the Baltic resort of Rerik, which was built between 1250 and 1270.
St. John's Church in Rerik is an early Gothic building from the second half of the 13th century. The brick building erected over a fieldstone base is a 2-bay hall church with a square choir. The four-gabled tower bears an eight-sided helmet. The oldest furnishings include the altar shrine, the triumphal cross and an early Gothic granite stone. The colorful paintings that cover the entire interior, from the chancel to the nave, catch the eye. The church painter Hinrich Grewe created these in 1668. Between 1970 and 1976 his work was uncovered and restored. During the restoration, remains of a Gothic painting from the 13th century were uncovered.
In 2012, the well-known German painter and object artist of international standing, Prof. Günther Uecker, had his specially created work "Spiral" auctioned off for the benefit of the church in Rerik. The proceeds were originally to be used for the re-casting of a bell destroyed during the war. In fact, two new bells were consecrated at Easter 2013. Both bells were artistically designed by Uecker. Now three bells are ringing again in the St. Johannes church in Rerik. Also worth seeing are the large organ with 1,056 pipes, the baptismal angel from the middle of the 18th century, which is still in use today, and a four-part hourglass, which was used to measure the length of the sermon. There are 89 steps up the church tower, from which you have a wide view over Rerik, the Salzhaff and the Baltic Sea.
