Calbe - St. Stephani

The city of Calbe was first mentioned in 936 under the name of Calvo in a document from King Otto I. It is assumed that a settlement probably existed as early as the 8th or early 9th century.

Due to the good traffic situation in the eastern part of what was then Germany as a starting point for trade with the colonized Slavic areas, Calbe was granted market rights around 1160. To 1680 Calbe belonged to the Archdiocese of Magdeburg and the Archbishops had their summer seat at Calbe Castle.

The towers of St. Stephani seen from the market place.

An early St. Stephani Church was probably built in the 10th century in connection with the donation from the royal court to the new Archdiocese of Magdeburg. Later, an early Gothic basilica made of sandstone was built, which was later modified in the High Gothic style and part of which has been preserved as the rectangular chancel of the current church.

In 1323 the church became part of the monastery, which at the end of the 15th century led to disputes between the citizens fighting for urban independence and the monastery. In the 15th century, it was decided to build a spacious late-Gothic hall church to accommodate the growing population, which was completed in 1495. The total height of the towers is about 57 meters.