Neue Kirche, Berlin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Church, colloquially "German Cathedral"
Neue Kirche; colloquially "Deutscher Dom"
The New Church on Gendarmenmarkt, 2022
Religion
Affiliation	Profaned since its reconstruction originally a Reformed (i.e. Calvinist) and Lutheran simultaneum, 1830s?–1943 united Protestant (Prussian Union)
District	March of Brandenburg ecclesiastical province, Kirchenkreis Berlin Stadt I (deanery)
Province	last: Evangelical Church of the old-Prussian Union
Location
Location	Friedrichstadt, a locality of Berlin
Architecture
Architect(s)	Martin Grünberg (design), Giovanni Simonetti (church construction 1701–8); Carl von Gontard (design); Georg Christian Unger (tower construction 1781–85); Johann Wilhelm Schwedler (design); Hermann von der Hude, Julius Hennicke (new prayer hall 1881–82); Otto Lessing (exterior sculptures 1885); Manfred Prasser, Roland Steiger and Uwe Karl (outside reconstruction 1977–81)
Completed	9 April 1708 (1708-04-09), 1882 (new prayer hall), reconstruction 1988

The New Church (German: Neue Kirche), often called the "German Cathedral" (German: Deutscher Dom), is a famous building in Berlin, Germany. It stands on a beautiful square called the Gendarmenmarkt. Right across from it is the French Church of Friedrichstadt, also known as the "French Cathedral."

The New Church got its nickname "German Cathedral" because the people who went there spoke German. Also, it has a large dome on its tower, which makes it look like a cathedral. However, it's not a real cathedral because it was never the main church for a bishop.

This historic building was badly damaged during World War II. It was rebuilt and finished in 1988. Today, the New Church is no longer used for religious services. Instead, it is a museum that teaches visitors about German parliamentary history.

History of the New Church

Building the First Church

The first New Church was built between 1701 and 1708. It was designed by Martin Grünberg, and Giovanni Simonetti oversaw the construction. This was the third church built in Friedrichstadt, a new part of Berlin that started in 1688.

At first, the ruler of the area, the Prince-Elector, only planned for a Calvinist church. This was because his family, the Hohenzollerns, were Calvinists. But many Lutherans also moved into the area. So, in 1708, the New Church became a "Simultaneum." This meant it was used by both Calvinist and Lutheran groups at the same time.

The land for the church used to be a cemetery for Huguenots. These were French Protestants who came to Berlin seeking safety. The original church building had a unique five-sided shape with rounded ends. Inside, it had a typical Protestant design with the altar and pulpit combined.

Adding the Domed Tower

In 1780, a famous architect named Carl von Gontard began designing a tall tower for the church. This tower was built next to the main prayer hall. He also designed a similar domed tower for the French Church across the square. His goal was to make the Gendarmenmarkt look like a famous square in Rome, Italy.

Unfortunately, the tower of the New Church collapsed while it was still being built. So, Georg Christian Unger was hired to finish Gontard's design. Christian Bernhard Rode created the statues on the tower, which show figures from the Old and New Covenant. The very top of the dome had a statue that meant "victorious virtue."

In 1817, the two groups using the "German Church" joined a larger Protestant organization. This was common in Prussia at the time.

A Place in History

The New Church after its tower collapsed in 1781.

The New Church became an important place in Prussian history. On March 22, 1848, a sad event happened there. The coffins of 183 Berliners who died during the March Revolution were brought to the church.

After a church service inside, a Protestant pastor, a Catholic priest, and a rabbi all spoke to the crowd outside. Then, a large group of people walked with the coffins to the graves. This showed how important the church was to the community during a time of big changes.

The coffins of those who died in the March Revolution (1848) at the German Church. Painting by Adolph Menzel.

Rebuilding and New Purpose

In 1881, the old prayer hall of the church was very old and worn out. It was torn down, and a new one was built by Hermann von der Hude and Julius Hennicke. This new hall had a similar five-sided shape and a beautiful "neobaroque" design. Otto Lessing designed six statues for the top of the new prayer hall. The new hall opened on December 17, 1882.

By 1934, the groups from the New Church had joined with other churches. Today, they are part of the Evangelical Congregation in the Friedrichstadt. For their services, they now use the French Church across the square and another church called Luke's Church in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

The Church in July 1981, still damaged from the war and missing its dome.

In 1943, during World War II, the New Church was almost completely destroyed by bombs. It was rebuilt much later, from 1983 to 1996. While it was being rebuilt, the German government bought the building.

After its reconstruction, the church was no longer used for religious purposes. It reopened in 1996 as a museum for the Bundestag (the German parliament). The museum is called "Milestones - Setbacks - Sidetracks, The Path to Parliamentary Democracy in Germany." It teaches about the history of democracy in Germany.

The New Church at twilight, with a statue of Friedrich Schiller in front.

Cemeteries of the New Church

The groups from the New Church also shared cemeteries with the groups from the nearby Jerusalem's Church. Three of these cemeteries are part of a larger group of six historical cemeteries in Berlin. These cemeteries are very important for understanding Berlin's past. They are located in Berlin-Kreuzberg, near the Hallesches Tor subway station.

Famous People Connected to the Church

Some well-known people were parishioners of the New Church:

• E. T. A. Hoffmann
• Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, an architect, was first buried in the church. Later, his remains were moved to the cemetery south of Hallesches Tor.
• Antoine Pesne, a painter, was also first buried in the church. His remains were later moved to the cemetery south of Hallesches Tor.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral alemana (Berlín) para niños