Look for the towering red brick structure with its distinct stepped gable roof and striking white horizontal stripes near the large arched entrance. It is magnificent. This originally belonged to Sankt Laurentius Church, built around the year eleven hundred. But where is the rest of the church? In fifteen thirty-one, city leaders desperately needed a central market square, so they simply tore the main building down. They spared this beautiful tower for one practical reason. They needed its massive bell to keep ringing to organize the town's daily schedule. Today, it serves as the town hall tower. Look at the paving tiles right here on the square. They mark the exact outline of the old walls. The actual ruins sit directly beneath your feet. Down in the basement, a little museum displays medieval artifacts discovered during an excavation in nineteen ninety-eight. You can pop down there any day from ten A-M to four P-M. It is wild to imagine an entire medieval church hiding under the pavement. Take all the time you need here, and whenever you are ready, we can head over to our next stop.
