A fire damaged the facade and roof truss of the Evangelical Marktkirche in Clausthal-Zellerfeld on the night of July 20, 2025, in what officials later determined to be arson.
According to a forensic investigation, the fire at Germany’s largest wooden church-the 17th‑century Marktkirche zum Heiligen Geist in Clausthal-Zellerfeld-was deliberately started. The flames damaged the building's historic façade and roof structure during the overnight hours of July 19-20, and firefighting efforts lasted several hours before the blaze was brought under control. Although police initially detained a suspect the following day, no arrest warrant was issued due to a lack of imminent suspicion; the individual was released as investigations continue and damage estimates remain unconfirmed.
During a visit to the site, Bishop Ralf Meister thanked the fire department for their efforts. "When a church burns, the soul of a place also burns."
The public prosecutor's office said that the community was lucky as the fire could easily have spread to the whole roof and destroyed the entire church.