Schönkirchen

Schönkirchen is a municipality in the district of Plön, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.Location and TransportSchönkirchen is located close to Kiel at the Bundesstraße 502 connecting Kiel and Schönberg (Holstein) and at the Kiel-Schönberg-Railroad. The closest main line train station is Kiel Central. Although Schönkirchen has access to the Schwentine river, passenger traffic (to Gothenburg and Oslo) and freight transport have to use the port of Kiel.HistoryAfter the Wendish Crusade the German colonisation arrived in the Schönkirchen area in the early 13th century. The village was first mentioned in a 1294 deed, the Codex Cismariensis.Count John II. had been the patron of the local church and the surrounding village, but was forced to assign the village in a deed of separation of 7 February 1316 to his Grand-nephew John III. After this Schönkirchen was allodial title property of the counts of Kiel and the villagers had to pay their duties to the Kiel castle. Later on the village became a leasehold estate leased out to a succession of noble lessees. In 1356 Schönkirchen was sold to the Kiel Heiligengeist monastery (monastery of the Holy Spirit) and remained in its possession for the next 200 years.