The fortified church of St. Nicholas in Pöllwitz was probably built in the early 13th century. It is mentioned in a letter of indulgence from 1340.

A fortified church is normally defined as a church that is equipped with devices to defend against enemies, such as battlements, a defensive core or embrasures, or is surrounded by defensive structures. However, this description only seems to apply to a limited extent to the fortified church in Pöllwitz.

The fortified church of St. Nicholas in Pöllwitz was first mentioned in a document written in Latin. This was a letter of indulgence from an archbishop and ten other bishops in Avignon (France) for the parish church of St. Nicholas in „Bedelwitz“ (Pöllwitz).