page_title: Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen
section_title: After World War II
hierarchical_section_title: Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen / After World War II
caption_attribution_description: English: Marienkirche in Halle/Saale, seen from East. Deutsch: Marienkirche in Halle (Saale), von Osten aus gesehen.
context_page_description: The Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen is a church in the centre of the city of Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was built between 1529 and 1554 and is the most recent of the city's medieval churches. In German, its official name is shortened to Liebfrauenkirche but it is also referred to as Marienkirche and the Marktkirche.
  The church replaced two former churches in the market area, their towers were integrated into the new building. The Market Church is considered one of the most important buildings of the late Gothic period in central Germany. Its four towers, together with the Red Tower, are the landmark of the city, hence its nickname "Stadt der fünf Türme".
  Justus Jonas introduced the Reformation into Halle, and his friend Martin Luther preached in the church. George Frideric Handel was baptized here and received his first organ lessons. Johann Sebastian Bach inspected the new organ, and his son Wilhelm Friedemann Bach was an organist. The beginnings of both pietism and Enlightenment were connected to the church. Little damaged in World War II, the church is today a historic protected monument.
context_section_description: The Market Church has not undergone any permanent changes to its external and internal appearance during its history. During the air raid on the centre of Halle shortly before the end of the war on 31 March 1945 it was, however, badly damaged. One bomb penetrated between the northern Watchmen's Tower and the nave (Langschiff) and tore one of the two pillars of the northern colonnade away, whereby part of the vaulted ceiling collapsed. That damaged the bronze font by Meister Ludolf. As a result of the artillery bombardment on 16 April 1945 the tracery window on the west front behind the organ was shattered, and the church roof and spires of the Watchmen's Towers damaged. The restoration work lasted from January 1946 to the beginning of 1948. Major repairs had to begin in 1967, when the entire interior and furnishings were badly damaged by a burst district heating pipe, which was part of the church heating system. The subsequent repair in the years from 1968 to 1983 was one of the biggest monument maintenance and restoration projects of the East German period. The work was conducted under the direction of the Institute for the Preservation of Historic Monuments. (Institut für Denkmalpflege). It was decided to restore, as far as possible, its appearance in the 16th century. For example, even the original polyptych was returned to its old spot and Hübner's altarpiece was brought out of the sacristy and displayed behind it.
caption: Eastside from the market
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