The Church of Niepars and its Baroque Interior

By the end of the 13th century, the church of Niepars was built as a basilica made of bricks, resisting of an atrium, a northern vestry and a two-chambered choir. The interior ceiling has a cross-ribbed vault. A new altar was attached in 1726. 60 years later, the damaged church tower was demolished and replaced by a lower half-timbered version. During the 19th century, an organ by F. A. Mehmel from Stralsund was established in the western gallery.

Around 1748/1750 the three-staged baroque altar was built. The retable was constructed in the workshop of the craftsman Klingmann in Rostock. The altar-table is ornamented with elaborate acanthus- and rocaille-carvings. The socket shows a depiction of the Last Supper which has some resemblance with the paintings of Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens. Right in center of the retable are two pairs of Corinthian columns with four evangelist-figures. On the left hand side we see Saint Luke with the bull and on the opposite side stands Saint Mark with his lion. Saint Matthew and Saint John with its eagle are attached together with little putti to the cornice. In the center is a relief of the crucifixion integrated into a landscape. The third stage of the retable shows a relief of the ascension of Christ, which is framed by floral and acanthus carvings. Above this, there is the all-seeing eye of god, surrounded by several cherubs, clouds and a sunbeam-gloriole.

The pulpit was built in 1726 by the Stralsund sculptor Elias Keßler. It is attached to a southern pillar in the choir which suggests, that the whole pulpit floats. This effect is supported by winged cherubs who somehow seem to carry the pulpit. The outside of the furniture is decorated with elaborate acanthus- and floral carvings and two little putti within a landscape which carry the book with seals.