Prenden Village Church

Visitors immediately notice the church in Prenden’s imposing half-timbered tower. It was built in 1704. Since it was renovated in 2001, it once again shines over the landscape in warm ochre tones. There is something special about the way it is built: In addition to the distinctive and pronounced half-timbered framework on the outer wall of the tower, inside there is a hidden, separate wooden structure for the belfry. This began to rot over the years and had to be fully rebuilt.
The church nave is a stucco building dating from the 17th century. A window in the north side still has the original glazing from this period. Inside, a simple space with a tiled floor awaits visitors. One special feature is the carved altar dating from 1611, which was converted into a pulpit altar in the 18th century and lost some of its carvings in the process. Fontane criticised this alteration, stating that on a visit in 1861, he was disappointed by the “broken remains of an altar carving”. The original single-handed tower clock dating from 1704 can also be seen in the church. The clock on the tower is a replica. The organ dating from 1888 was made by the Gesell company of Potsdam.
There is a rest area in the parish garden. The members of KulturFörderverein cultural association regularly organises concerts, art exhibitions, readings and lectures as well as guided tours of the church including climbing the tower during the “Dorfkirchensommer” festival.  Anyone who is interested can also book a guided tour “On the trail of Fontane” or “On the trail of Johann Kunckel v. Löwenstern” with the village chronicler. Walking tours of the village’s buildings and natural monuments are also available.