The Church of St. Nicholas is an object of cultural heritage of regional significance.
The church is located in the village of Ushakovo , Guryevsky district Kaliningrad region. You can get to the Church both by bus following from Kaliningrad, and by car along the A194 Kaliningrad-Mamonovo highway to the village of Ushakovo. The church is clearly visible from the road, located right by the curb on the left side of the highway, next to the memorial in memory of Soviet soldiers who died in the battles for these lands.
Despite its rich history and ancient architecture, the church received the status of an object of cultural heritage of regional significance only in 2007, when, thanks to the Resolution approved by the Government of the Kaliningrad Region No. 132 of March 23, 2007 "On cultural heritage objects of regional and local significance", it entered the list of cultural heritage objects (historical and cultural monuments) of regional significance. This list also includes the ruins of Brandenburg Castle described in the article earlier.
The church, which already suffered during the Second World War, currently continues to deteriorate and collapse. No one keeps track of it, does not restore it and does not put it in order, from year to year the church is falling into more and more decline. The passage to the church and the entrance inside is free, because of this, unambiguous inscriptions are painted on the walls instead of frescoes, garbage is stored inside and there is an unpleasant smell. But this, we do not forget, is a cultural heritage object and close attention and special care should be paid to such objects in the region. It should be noted that all objects of special significance of the region are in a similar state of destruction and vandalism.
Currently, only a dilapidated tower without a roof and the remains of walls remain from the church. The church is made of red brick, the Gothic style is clearly visible in the architecture. At the top of the tower is crowned with a clock. Shrubs, grass and nettles grow luxuriantly around the perimeter of the building.
The bas-relief of the Prussian coat of arms is clearly visible above the preserved lancet entrance to the tower. Unfortunately, this is one of the few surviving elements of the object that allows you to identify a cultural monument in the building. There is no sign indicating the protected status of the object anywhere.
Entrance to the church
Inside the church is overgrown with grass, garbage is lying around, it is quite gloomy and damp, which creates an unpleasant impression. The only inhabitants of the facility are crows, which started cawing loudly when we entered the church.
There is a wooden cross on the ground in the corner to the right
A little from the history of the Church of St. Nicholas in Brandenburg
Until 1946, until the Prussian lands came into the possession of the Soviet Union, the village of Ushakovo was called Brandenburg (German name Brandenburg).
The Church of St. Nicholas was built at the beginning of the XIV century and was a brick building with elongated choirs with a semicircular completion. In 1648, a tower was added to these buildings, over the entrance of which a plate with a commemorative inscription was placed. The ruins of this particular tower have survived to the present.
In 1680, an altar was installed in the church, and at the beginning of the XVIII century, an organ and two bells appeared in the church.
During the fighting in 1945, during the Great Patriotic War, the church was significantly damaged. It was not used in Soviet times.
In 2003, archaeological excavations were carried out at the church. But no significant finds were made and the church was safely forgotten again.
The Church building, as well as the ruins of the Brandenburg Castle in the village of Ushakovo, was dismantled and continues to be dismantled by local residents for building materials, mostly they pick out and drag the bricks of the walls.
