Ossuary at Bad Doberan

The minster: "Pearl of North German brick gothic"

This octagonal building, built in about 1250AD, a chapel with its "Beinkeller" beneath, is tiny by comparison with the adjacent Cistercian minster. The "Beinkeller", or bone cellar, housed the bones of monks removed from the monastery cemetery to free space for new burials.

It is the setting of Bad Doberan's magnificent minster that distinguishes it from other great brick gothic masterpieces: a large English Garden, parkland in an informal style with picturesque ponds and tree groupings, is the peaceful setting for views uncluttered by other buildings. The autumnal mood provides an additional enhancement to the lively tones of the bricks.