Friedrichswerdersche Kirche in Berlin

Friedrichswerdersche Kirche lies in the centre of Berlin. Originally a Protestant religious site, it was the first Neo-Gothic church to be built in the capital. The church was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, an architect more famous for his Neo-Classical architecture. The church was built between 1824-1831 under his direction. During World War II, it was damaged by allied bombs and it was not restored until 1962. The Friedrichswerdersche Kirche now belongs to the Berlin State Museum collection, because the state financed the majority of the reconstruction work after the war. At the moment, the church contains the 19th-century German sculpture collection from the Alte Nationalgalerie, which consists of an assortment of very important pieces of artwork from the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The sculptures are located all over the church tucked away in the pillars and archways. The church itself is one of the tallest ones in Europe, reaching a massive 116.3 metres at its highest point.

The exterior is extremely elegant built in large, bright red brick. The roof is constructed in an oval-shape from grey tiles. The interior is stunning, but there are no pews, altar or religious paintings. Indeed, the only indication that the building was once a church comes from the crucifix hanging at the front and the multitude of stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes. The vault is made up of colourful slates of wood. There are three different guided tours around the church each day. One focuses on the tower and architecture and takes visitors on a tour up the 563 steps to the top of the tower where you get a good view of the city. Another tour focuses on the church’s history whilst the other guides visitors through the Alte Nationalgalerie collection.