SHMF St. Nicholas Church Kappeln

A Sound Space from the Late 18th Century

St. Nicholas Church Kappeln is the last late-Baroque hall church in Northern Germany — built between 1789 and 1793 by architect Johann Adam Richter on an exposed steep slope above the Schlei. A chapel, and later a church, once stood here in the 12th century, where seafarers made their last stopover before the open Baltic Sea. Instead of a rooster, a Saint Christopher has served as the weather vane ever since — the patron saint of travelers.

An Extraordinary Interior Architecture

Inside, late Baroque and Classicism merge. Characteristic is the palace-like stacked arrangement of altar, pulpit, and organ — a solution rarely found in North German sacred architecture. The horseshoe-shaped galleries originally accommodated 1,400 people; after renovation in 1968, there are now around 1,100 seats. The acoustics are warm and transparent, ideal for chamber music and vocal ensembles.

SHMF 2026 in Kappeln

For years, St. Nicholas Church has been a regular venue in the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (SHMF) repertoire. Several concerts are scheduled here in 2026, including:

• Xavier de Maistre — the Austrian-French harpist, one of the most influential soloists of his generation
• Sidorova & Avital — Ksenija Sidorova (accordion) and Avi Avital (mandolin) on July 16, 2026, 7:30 PM
• Academy of St Martin in the Fields — the renowned British chamber orchestra
• Daniel Hope & amarcord — violinist Daniel Hope with the Leipzig vocal ensemble amarcord

The exact programs for individual concerts will be published on shmf.de.

Kappeln and the SHMF

The Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival was founded in 1986 and is one of the largest classical music festivals in Europe. Every summer, it uses around 100 venues throughout the state — churches, castles, riding halls, shipyards. The country focus for the 2026 edition is Stockholm/Sweden. Kappeln, in the Schleswig-Flensburg district at the mouth of the Schlei into the Baltic Sea, is one of the most beautiful venues — the church towers over the fjord waters, and after the concerts, the harbor and old town can be explored.