Each city has its own famous cathedral. In Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral, Vienna is famous for St. Stephen's Cathedral, and in Berlin - Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom). The bohemian building fascinates tourists and residents of the German capital with its beauty and majesty, moreover, the cathedral is one of the largest Protestant churches in Germany.
Construction history
The Dome Cathedral was built in 1905. Before him, in the 15th century, this site was the site of the Church of St. Erasmus as part of the new royal palace. In 1456 it was raised to the level of a collegiate church, and in 1539 Martin Luther and John II began the reformation and it became Lutheran. In this church, court ceremonies and parish services were held.
Later, in the 18th century, the Church of St. Erasmus was demolished. King Frederick the Great commissioned architect Johann Bowman to build a new temple north of the Baroque palace. The tombs were taken out of the tombs, and the cathedral was demolished. In 1750, according to Bowman's design, the Overcoat Cathedral was built. The church was a royal tomb and was part of the Berlin castle.
75 years later, King Karl Schinkel presented plans for a new temple. The work began, but due to limited financial resources, they were suspended.
In 1893, Wilhelm II of the Hohenzollern dynasty ordered the demolition of the old unfinished church and the construction of a new one. He believed that the main cathedral of the country should correspond to His Majesty, and wanted to surpass the Church of St. Peter in Rome, which he later did.
The famous architect Julius Rashdorf worked on the project.
The foundation was laid on June 17, 1894, and the central building was consecrated 11 years later. Berlin Cathedral was 114 meters high and consisted of two chapels, four corner towers, a tomb and a central part.
Famous Prussian artists and craftsmen worked on the design of the church.
During the Second World War, Berlin Cathedral was destroyed during bombing: an incendiary bomb damaged the dome. Access to this place was difficult, so the entire structure was destroyed by fire. Parts of the burning structure crashed into the church, and the fire spread to the crypt. In one night, the beautiful structure turned into ruins.
In 1975, renovation work began on the construction of a protective dome to protect the church from further damage. The restoration took almost 20 years. During the reconstruction, the temple lost 16 meters of its former height, the royal tomb and the main dome were dismantled, and the internal design was noticeably simplified.
External and internal view
The cathedral is located on the museum island of Berlin, perhaps the richest sightseeing place in all of Germany.
The temple was built from Silesian marble. In appearance, the naves with a green dome, arched openings and large columns, many statues of saints and sculptures of angels are mesmerizing. The interior and exterior interiors are adorned with paintings with illustrations from the New Testament and stories of church reformation, stained glass windows and mosaics. The altar is preserved in its original form - the work of the famous master Frederick Stuller, the altar is made of onyx and Italian marble.
Due attention should be paid to the Sauer organ. The instrument can be heard twice a day during worship, on Sundays at religious services and at concerts.
Organ excursions provide an opportunity to see the organist's workplace, look up close to the instrument and examine its details.
The cathedral has two choirs - the Berlin Domcantorium and the Domnor Berlin, which give numerous concerts and create a unique atmosphere for visitors. Every year, the temple hosts the International Organ Summer, a festival where stars are invited to present programs written specifically for the Sauer Organ.
Cathedral opening hours and excursions
The cathedral is open every day. Monday to Friday - 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. On Sundays and public holidays, its doors are open from 12.00 to 19.00. In the summer (from April to September), the work schedule is extended until 20.00.
It should be borne in mind that there are no visits during the service. Tourists are allowed to enter at least one hour before closing time.
Church opening times may vary due to concerts and performances.
The entrance fee is 7 euros, the price for students, schoolchildren, unemployed people and groups of 20 or more people is 5 euros. Optionally, you can visit the following excursions:
- Lustgarten park. One of the facades of the temple overlooks Lustgarten Square with a beautiful park, a fountain and many sculptures. Park Lustgarten (German Lustgarten - "joy park") - the only thing left of the majestic Berlin royal palace.
- Hohenzollern crypt. In the cathedral there is a crypt - a royal tomb, in which there are about 90 sarcophagi with the relics of the kings of the Hohenzollern dynasty, among them are the tombs of John III and Wilhelm II. Interestingly, the famous German sculptor Andreas Schlüter worked on the tombs of Frederick I and his wife.
- Observation platform. There is an observation deck under the central dome of the cathedral, which offers an amazing view of Berlin. To climb it, you need to go through 270 steps. Also, the cathedral has an elevator for people with disabilities, which is located to the left of the entrance and is marked with a sign.
In addition, there is a panoramic tour of the temple: it includes a visit to the observation deck, museum and crypt of the Hohenzollern. There is an audio guide service (English, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish), the cost is 3 euros.
For children and adults, they offer a playful interactive tour of the entire building - Treasure Hunt in Berlin Cathedral.
Location
Berlin Cathedral is easy to find on the map. The temple can be reached by metro (station “U-Bhf Alexanderplatz”), by bus (number 100, 200 - stop “Am Lustgarten”) and by tram (number M4, M5 and M6 - stop “Spandauer Strabe”).
Address: Am Lustgarten, 10178, Berlin, Germany (Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin, Deutschland).
Other places in Berlin
Berlin is full of attractions: in 2021 there are many varied excursions in this old city steeped in history. Tourists will be interested in:
- German Cathedral (Gendarmenmarkt square);
- Church of St. Nicholas (Nikolayviertel district);
- Kaiser Wilhelm Church (Charlottenburg district);
- St. Mary's Church (Karl-Liebknecht-Straße);
- Berlin State Opera.
Conclusion
Berlin Cathedral is a great place to explore Berlin's architectural history. This is a functioning temple, which also hosts organ concerts and festivals.You can visit and inspect the cathedral either independently with an audio guide or as a participant in an excursion.
