Parish church
St. Nikolaus

The Minster of St. Nicholas in Überlingen on Lake Constance is an impressive five-aisled basilica that rises as the city's parish church above the historic old town. As the largest late Gothic church building on Lake Constance, it significantly shapes the cityscape with its tall north tower. The cathedral is an important cultural monument in Germany and belongs to the Archdiocese of Freiburg.
History+
The church's origins date back to the 10th century, when a hall church presumably stood on this site. In the 12th century, it was replaced by a longer, three-aisled column basilica in the Romanesque style. In the early 14th century, around 1350, master builder Eberhard Rab began the reconstruction of the choir in the Gothic style, using materials from Jewish property dating from 1349. The nave was also renewed and consecrated in 1408. Due to the city's growing wealth, a renewed reconstruction of the nave began in 1424, expanding the church first into a three-aisled, then a five-aisled hall church. Around 1470, the spaces between the buttresses were converted into side chapels. The final expansion to its current basilica form occurred after 1512, inspired by Ulm Minster, with the central nave being raised and fitted with net-rib vaults. The current form of the church building was completed in 1563. The two choir flank towers were built from the early 15th century; the south tower remained unfinished, while the north tower was provisionally completed in 1494 and redesigned into its current late Gothic form between 1574 and 1576.
Location+
The Minster of St. Nicholas is located in Überlingen, a town in the Bodenseekreis district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is centrally situated within the historic old town.
On site+
The cathedral continues to serve as the city's parish church. Its interior houses a carved altar by Jörg Zürn from 1613–1616, considered a masterpiece of German Mannerism. North of the church was a cemetery before 1530, and to the south stands the late Gothic town hall, built in 1494, showing influences of the Italian Renaissance.
Nearby+
- Überlingen-Franziskanertor City Fortification (City Fortification, approx. 156 m away)
- Gunzoburg (Residence, approx. 207 m away)
- Reichlin-von-Meldegg-Haus (Residence, approx. 209 m away)
- Rauenstein Castle (Castle, approx. 1269 m away)
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Location: 47.7672, 9.1606