Start of construction of the Nikolaikirche: Anklam says goodbye to the old!

Start of construction of the Nikolaikirche: Anklam says goodbye to the old!

Anklam, Deutschland - In Anklam, work is diligently worked on the redesign of the renowned Nikolaikirche. The third phase of construction is already in full swing and it is working hard to transform historical church construction into a modern museum. The goal is to design the church in such a way that it houses the Otto Lilienthal Museum that opens its gates after completing the work. The extensive renovation measures include the installation of galleries as exhibition levels and a glass elevator, so that access and presentation of the exhibits for all visitors are easier. Total costs for this renovation amount to an impressive 10.43 million euros, and the completion is targeted for 2027, as nordkurier.de reports.

The start of construction took place last Thursday and was a truly festive occasion. A time capsule was included in the safe to give future generations a look at the past. Unfortunately, the Minister of Culture Bettina Martin (SPD) had to cancel at short notice, so that the member of the state parliament Jeannine Rösler (Die Linke) greeted those present with a greeting. Now it remains to be seen whether the city Anklam can receive the urgently needed co-financing of the country for the next exhibition in order to continue to secure the points of the project.

The big context: Otto Lilienthal

The redesign of the Nikolaikirche takes a special connection to Otto Lilienthal, which is considered the symbol of aviation history. He became world famous as a "Prussian Ikarus" or "Flying Man" and is considered a pioneer of aviation. His first safe gliding campaign in 1891 set standards and was taken up by the Wright brothers in the United States. The Otto Lilienthal Museum in Anklam, its hometown, shows the audience the fascinating development of aviation and the fundamental principles of flying, which was significantly influenced by Lilienthal Kulturellellelle-Gedaechtorte.de.

The museum already celebrated its opening on the 100th anniversary of Lilienthal's first flights and offers the largest collection of reconstructions in its aircraft worldwide. Here the topic of "dreams of flying" comes alive, including a variety of imaginative, albeit often unsuccessful flight devices. The museum received special recognition with the "European Museum of the Year Award - Special Commendation" in 1999 when it was the first in the former GDR that received such an award.

The challenges and future visions

The work on the Nikolaikirche is only the third construction phase of four, with the fourth, which has not yet financed a new church top. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) plans to inaugurate the regional information and tourism center (Ritz) in July, which could also give the project additional attention and possibly the necessary support. The city of Anklam sees itself on the right track, its cultural treasures, on which the history of flying and the innovations of Otto's Lilienthal are firmly anchored.

The conversions on the Nikolaikirche have a lot to do and the next steps are crucial. While everyone is working towards the final conversion, the legacy of Otto Lilienthal remains alive and inspires the next generation of flight enthusiasts and scientists.