Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Churchis located in Berlin on Breitscheidplatz. This church, destroyed during the Second World War during bombing, was never restored. Today it serves as a living reminder of the severe hardships and sacrifices of those years.
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin is located on Breitscheidplatz, where fairs are often held
The Protestant Kaiser Wilhelm Church was built in the late 19th century in honor of the first Kaiser of Germany and at that time was the tallest cathedral in the city. The height of the spire of its tower reached 113 meters. However, in 1943, during the Allied raid on Berlin, the church was bombed and destroyed. After the end of the war, local residents opposed the demolition of the ruins of the church and the construction of a new building in its place. As a result, a memorial arose. The remains of the church tower were complemented by new buildings in a modern style – made of glass and concrete.
The remains of the Kaiser Wilhelm Church were complemented by new structures made of glass and concrete
The Kaiser Wilhelm Church also has other nicknames: “Hollow Tooth” (this is due to its architectural features – the remains of the old building are empty inside), Gedechtniskirche (which translates as “Blue Church”, since from the inside the memorial is illuminated with blue light through numerous honeycombs). window).
Despite its strange appearance, the Kaiser Wilhelm Church has a bell that rings periodically, as well as an altar with a giant figure of Christ 4.6 meters high.
The famous Berlin Europe Center is the first shopping and office center of the city
The place where the church is located is also very interesting. Here on Breitscheidplatz, in addition to the church itself, there is the “Europe Center”, the first shopping and office center in Berlin, built according to American canons in the 1960s. For a long time, Europe Center and the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Church were the unofficial symbol of West Berlin.
The square often hosts folk festivals and fairs. There are many cafes and various attractions here. The Kurfürstendamm shopping street, famous for its shops, also begins here.
This church and many other Berlin landmarks can be seen on a city bus tour on Berlin’s famous yellow double-decker tour bus. Tickets for it can be buy here (in 2019 the ticket cost 18 euros ).
