Commonly known as Marktkirche, or the Church on the Market, this striking 14th century brick structure serves as the main Lutheran church in Hannover, and thanks to its large scale flourishes of ancient symbolism, the church provokes its share of comments and conspiracy theories. Most remarked upon is the giant pentagram displayed on the church’s western tower, and if that weren’t enough, a hexagram surrounds the tower’s clock.

Of course, the truth is that both five-pointed and six-pointed stars have a long, fluid history in Germany, first used by Teutonic pagans and then adopted by Christians as their own symbol at the time the church was built. The pentagram, in particular, was often used as a symbol of the epiphany.

The church, with its grand organ, is an excellent example of Germany’s brick gothic tradition.