July 13, 2026, 5:12 am | Read time: 4 minutes
In the small town of Nedlitz in Saxony-Anhalt stands a very special house of worship. In the crypt of the local St. Nicholas Church rest several mummies, some for more than 300 years. Their preservation and public display today are thanks to the dedication of a volunteer association. TRAVELBOOK tells the story of this unusual sacred building.
The small town of Nedlitz near Gommern in Saxony-Anhalt might be just a brief blip on the B 246 highway toward Magdeburg if it weren’t for a very special church. We’re talking about St. Nicholas Church, where since 2014, visitors can view an unusual and eerie attraction. It involves two people who have remained preserved as mummies for more than 300 years after their deaths.
The first mummy was placed in the church crypt in 1720, built as the final resting place for the influential privy councilor and finance director Robert Christian von Hake, explains Dr. Peter Weber, chairman of the St. Nicholas Church Nedlitz Association, in response to a TRAVELBOOK inquiry. He wanted to avoid being buried underground at all costs. “He probably believed that his soul could ascend to God more easily this way.”
Decay or Dry Out
But how did von Hake and a total of six others buried in the church in Nedlitz become mummies? “The crypt consists of two rooms with cross ventilation. This slowly removed the fluids from the deceased bodies.” According to Weber, a natural process begins about 10 days after death, during which the body either decays or dries out, thus mummifying. “Von Hake must have known this,” he speculates. However, five days before the nobleman, his pastor had already died, making him the first body in the crypt. Over time, five more deceased were added.
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As the years and centuries passed, the church in Nedlitz fell into disrepair and was officially closed in 1974. Its tower had a long crack and was in danger of collapsing. “If the reunification had come two years later, St. Nicholas would probably have been demolished.” But things turned out differently, and the people of Nedlitz restored their church. In 2013, there was another significant turn when the mummies in the crypt were virtually rediscovered. “Six of the coffins were buried under meters of rubble. Only two mummies were still preserved, the rest had already crumbled to dust and bones.”
Soccer with a Skull
In the past, the church and its mummies were not always treated with respect. “For a time, it even served as a horse stable. There’s also a story from the post-war period when children in the village played soccer with one of the skulls from the crypt.” However, in 2014, the two remaining mummies were taken to mummy expert Jens Klocke in Hildesheim, who painstakingly restored them over nine months. Weber says with audible pride, “Klocke said that Nedlitz has the best-preserved mummies north of the Alps.” Since then, the unique remains can be admired in the church again.
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The church, built around 1140 and one of the oldest east of the Elbe, can only be visited on a guided tour. These can be arranged through the official website of the association. “We do this even for just one person. We show everyone our church.” The approximately one-hour tour with local and history-savvy volunteers is free of charge. However, donations are requested. “This helps us fund concerts in the church.” Today, about 800 to 900 people visit annually to see the mummies of Nedlitz.
Weber’s invitation to the church of Nedlitz is especially extended to families. He laughs off the question of whether the sight of the mummies might be too scary for children. “With everything they see on TV and the internet today? Here they can really learn something. Our tour is interesting for everyone. These were once real people. They lived, laughed, and loved. We want to rekindle the thought of how to deal with life and especially with death.”