A Gothic brick building in the form of a three-aisle hall church dating from the early 14th century, with an early Gothic chancel from the 13th century; and with an 87 metre high tower with an internal staircase
St. Mary’s Church is built in the northern German Brick Gothic style and rises to a height of 87 metres to the west of the market square. In the first municipal register of the town of Barth, the church is called the “ecclesia beate virginis” (Church of the Blessed Virgin), so it appears that it was already known as St. Mary’s Church. It was first mentioned in 1325 and was constructed in three building periods. The first part completed was the “high chancel” in the eastern part of the church, then the central nave and finally the tower. The building was completed by about 1400. The high tower also served throughout history as a guiding feature to show fishermen and sailors the way to Barth. Bogislaw XIII, the duke of Pomerania who had his residence in Barth, contributed many additional features to the church at the end of the 16th century (the bell, the former organ, chandelier etc.). Around 1860 the whole interior of the church was redesigned in the neo-Gothic style to plans by Friedrich August Stüler, and the result of this work can still be seen today. Some remains of Gothic painting are still preserved in the south aisle. Notable features include the 14th century bronze baptismal font and the beautiful brass chandeliers dating from the 16th and 17th century.
