The Marienkirche is Rostock's most important church and one of the finest examples of North German Brick Gothic architecture. Built over the 13th to 15th centuries, it is a three-aisled basilica of enormous scale, with an interior that manages to feel contemplative despite its size. The great west window and the medieval bronze baptismal font are worth particular attention.
The astronomical clock on the north wall of the ambulatory is the church's most celebrated feature — a 1472 masterpiece with multiple dials tracking the day, date, month, lunar phase, and positions of the sun and moon. The clockwork apostles circle the clock face at noon daily, with Judas memorably shut out when the door closes.