German Church

• 

  View of the German Cathedral on the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin.

• German Cathedral at Gendarmenmarkt.

• The Christmas market on Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt in the shadow of the German Cathedral is brightly lit.

The German Cathedral is part of the Gendarmenmarkt urban masterpiece. Even if it looks like it: The German Cathedral is not a church.

Together with the French Cathedral and the Schauspielhaus, the German Cathedral - also called New Church or German Church - forms a three-part ensemble of buildings on one of Berlin's most beautiful squares, the Gendarmenmarkt. However, the name "cathedral" causes confusion here, as the building never had an ecclesiastical function. Rather, the term refers to the architectural form, i.e. the tower building with the dome (French "dôme").

Neo-baroque towers: beautiful, but non-functional

The German Cathedral was built between 1701 and 1708 in the Baroque style according to the designs of Martin Grünberg. Almost 80 years later, the church was demolished due to dilapidation and rebuilt in the neo-baroque style. Between 1780 and 1785, King Frederick II had two almost identical but non-functional towers added to the German and French Cathedrals according to plans by Carl von Gontard, and it was only during these years that Gendarmenmarkt took on its current appearance. The German Cathedral was badly destroyed during the Second World War, but was rebuilt between 1982 and 1996.

Permanent exhibition in the German Cathedral

The New Church also functions as a museum. Since 2002, the cathedral has been home to the German Bundestag's exhibition "Milestones, Setbacks, Sidetracks. The development of parliamentary democracy in Germany". All the important stages in the emergence, development and consolidation of the democratic system in the Federal Republic are highlighted on five floors. The exhibition covers the German Revolution, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Second World War, the November Revolution and the different political systems in a divided Germany. It is not only intended to shed light on the past, but also to inspire reflection on the future.

Information

• Address:
  Gendarmenmarkt 1
  10117 Berlin
  City map
• Phone: [phone]
• Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, from May to September until 7 pm; open on Mondays only on public holidays
• Accessibility: Access to the exhibition is barrier-free.
• Admission Fee:
  Free