Discover Pewsum: Church, castle and history

Discover Pewsum through striking reminders of its history: St. Nicholas Church in the centre of town, the historic Manningaburg Castle and the Mill Museum. The church brings together several phases of construction, while the castle also connects the town to a longer route through the Krummhörn region. This gives you a variety of starting points for your trip—from looking at individual architectural details to taking a tour that includes numerous churches and other sights.

St. Nicholas Church: construction history and special details

The historic Evangelical Lutheran St. Nicholas Church stands in the centre of Pewsum and has a detached bell tower. It is a hall church with a polygonal choir dating from the 15th century. A polygonal choir has a multi-sided end; a hall church describes the basic layout of the church building. However, its present exterior took shape only in 1862, when the old building was encased in new masonry. This means the origins of the church building and the appearance of its outer walls belong to different periods.

The pulpit and organ also offer insight into the church’s furnishings. The pulpit was built in 1618 in the Late Renaissance style and was a gift from Countess Sophie of East Frisia, who died in Pewsum in 1630. The west gallery houses a mechanical organ built by the Hillebrandt workshop in Hanover. Anyone interested in the history of a church interior can consider its architectural form, later alterations and individual furnishings as distinct aspects.

From Manningaburg Castle to the Church Tower Tour

Manningaburg Castle is also part of Pewsum’s history: its foundations date back to 1458. The castle is also a stop along the Krummhörn Church Tower Tour. As of 31 August 2026, the tour covers about 70.5 kilometres through the Krummhörn’s terp villages and Greetsiel. It passes 21 churches, historic windmills, Manningaburg Castle in Pewsum and the Pilsum Lighthouse, and runs alongside the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea National Park.

The tour offers a different way to see the sights than a visit focused on a single building: churches, windmills and other places line the route. When planning, it makes a difference whether you mainly want to explore one historic building in greater detail or include several stops on a longer tour.

Events and visiting the church

In addition to church services, St. Nicholas Church regularly hosts concerts, exhibitions and readings. It therefore serves not only as a historic building but also as an event venue. If you are planning to attend a concert, exhibition or reading, check the relevant date in advance. Entry to St. Nicholas Church is free; donations to the parish are welcome.

The Mill Museum in Pewsum can be reached via Manningastraße and adds another cultural destination to the area’s church and castle history. When choosing where to visit, you can focus on the topics that interest you most: the architectural history of St. Nicholas Church, historic Manningaburg Castle or a tour featuring numerous churches and other stops. These different highlights offer a range of ways to get to know Pewsum and its historical connections.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Hamswehrum, Eilsum, Loquard, Greetsiel, Campen, Rysum, Upleward, Visquard.

Back to the main travel guide: Krummhörn.