|
Kaiser
Wilhelm Memorial Church - Breitscheidplatz, Berlin,
Germany
Architect
|
Egon Eirmann
|
Date Built
|
1963
|
Location
|
On the Kurfürstendamm in the centre of the
Breitscheidplatz |
Description
|
The original Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial
Church was commissioned by
Kaiser Wilhelm II in honor of his
grandfather Kaiser
Wilhelm I.
Designed by Franz Schwechten, it was a
large neo-romanesque church decorated with
wall mosaics. The foundation stone
of this church was laid on March 22, 1891,
Wilhelm I's birthday.
On November 23, 1943, the church was
irreparably damaged during an air raid
leaving only a portion of the entrance and
part of the spire standing. The
shattered spire led to it being known as
the "hollow tooth" For the last few
years that spire has been wrapped in
scaffolding but in June of 2014 it was
possible to get a glimpse of it.
As in Coventry, a new church was built
beside the ruins of the old. The
entrance portion of the old church remains
and is used as a visitors centre for the
site. It features the spectacular
wall mosaics or what is left of
them. Beside it sits the new church
designed by Egon Eirmann and built between
1959 and 1963. The church was
actually consecrated
on 17 December 1961, the same day that
Coventry Cathedral was consecrated.
The church is octagonal in shape whilst
the tower, that sits beside it, is
hexagonal. Apparently Berliners
refer to the building as the powder box
and the lipstick.
Over 20,000 panels of stained glass make
up the walls of the church.
|
|
