Hanseatic
modern
Inner city churches, organs & pilgrims
From organ tunes & church hymns
It’s not lighthouses that tower over the roofs of the Hanseatic city, but rather the church tower of St Cosmae Church, which is the best place to catch a glimpse of Stade. The ‘leaning tower of Stade’, as it is affectionately known, is the steeple of the second main church in the historic town centre and adorns the cityscape. Impressive pipe organs sound from both churches. Those who prefer to listen to the call of nature rather than the sound of the organs can take one of the pilgrimage routes in Stade and the region.
St Wilhadi's Church
St Wilhadi’s Church is the oldest church in Stade. The building from the 11th century has suffered some severe blows of fate. Thus, the original structure no longer exists. In its place today is a building from the 14th century, the tower of which is affectionately known as the ‘leaning tower of Stade’. An ‘Erasmus Bielefeldt’ organ, which has belonged to St Wilhadi since 1736, provides the remarkable musical sound inside the church.
St Cosmae's Church
Right next to the historic Stade town hall stands the church of St. Cosmae, one of two churches in the city centre. The church has two hidden treasures – one of which is the historical organ by the famous organ builder Arp Schnitger, one of the oldest in the region. To reach the second treasure, you first have to climb 189 steps. Once at the top of the church tower, the breathtaking view over the city, the river Elbe and the Alte Land as far as Hamburg is priceless.
Steeple Tour
187 steps separate participants of the Church Steeple tour on the ground from a breathtaking view of the observation deck of St Cosmae’s church tower. You can let your gaze wander over the rooftops in the historic town centre, over the various neighbourhoods to the Alte Land and the river Elbe. The ascent leads past the 350-year-old church bells, over wooden steps and fascinating stories about St Cosmae’s Church await.
Organ tour: Of pipes & trumpets
There are two extraordinary pipe organs in the Hanseatic city of Stade. In the church of St Wilhadi stands an organ by the famous organ maker Erasmus Bielefeldt. In the church of St Cosmae, a Huß-Schnittger organ is responsible for beautiful music. This masterpiece, organ building in Stade and Stade’s most famous organ builders are the focus of the themed tour ‘Of pipes and trumpets’. The icing on the cake at the end of the tour is an organ performance with explanatory remarks.
Pipe organs of the region
Pilgrimage
Anyone embarking on a pilgrimage in northern Germany will hardly be able to avoid Stade. Not only the famous Via Romea Germanica has its starting point here. The Way of St James, which is the epitome of pilgrimage for many pilgrims, also passes through the tranquil town of Stade.