# Exterior view [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [ARCHITECT, German]() - Date: 1251-1300 - Technique: Photo ## Commentary The town of Lübeck was the most powerful town in the Baltic area in the 13th-15th centuries. It was built on a peninsula; its skyline is dominated by six east-facing churches through their seven large spires. The construction of the Marienkirche began in about 1277 and was completed in 1351. In its ground plan and elevation it is a French Gothic cathedral, yet these elements were transformed into a completely new style. Certain shapes on the design were enforced by the use of as building material. The Marienkirche west front rises powerfully. Its towers are divided by cornices decorated with quatrefoils and end in triangular gables that form part of a helm spire. This form of spire is a recurring motif in medieval architecture in the German lands. The photo shows the west towers, completed in 1351. ## Related artworks - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Baumburg Tower]() - [East view \(detail\)]() - [Exterior view \(detail\)]() - [Exterior view from the east]() - [Exterior view from the east]() - [Exterior view from the north-east]() - [Exterior view from the north-east]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()