Marienkirche, Berlin
Aerial view of the Marienkirche and TV tower. Image © Google Earth.
The graceful exterior of the Marienkirche. Photo by Pierre Numérique.
Door of the Marienkirche illuminated at night. Photo by Linus Gelber.
Interior view: nave and vault. Photo by Thomas Gerzer.
Baroque pulpit, moved here during restoration. Photo by Thomas Gerzer.
Baroque altar with paintings from 1762. Photo by Thomas Gerzer.
Computer drawing of the Dance of Death fresco. Image under GFDL.
Mosaic replica of the Dance of Death. Photo by Thomas Gerzer.
The Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church) in Berlin is a 14th-century Protestant church. One of the oldest churches in Berlin, it houses a large medieval fresco of "The Dance of Death" and other artworks.
History
Begun around 1270, the Marienkirche was completed in the early 14th century. St. Mary's was designed as an early Gothic hall church; it received the front tower in the 15th century and a Baroque dome atop the tower in 1790. The dome was designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, the architect of the Brandenburg Gate.
The Marienkirche became Protestant after the Reformation, in 1539. It was damaged but not destroyed during World War II and fully restored in 1950. Many artworks from nearby destroyed churches were moved into the Marienkirche, where they remain today.
What to See
In the entrance hall, visitors are greeted by "The Dance of Death" (Totentanz), a large fresco (2 meters high, 22 meters long) dating from about 1485. Painted during the plague epidemics of the Dark Ages, the fresco wraps around the entrance hall and depicts all classes of society dancing with death, moving at a slow and dignified gait.
The fresco was discovered in 1860 under layers of paint and in quite poor condition. Fundraising is currently underway to restore its original colors: for €2.50, visitors can add a colored mosaic tile to a replica of the fresco.
The nave of St. Mary's has vaulted ceilings, two side aisles and a central pulpit. After the war, the pulpit was moved forward from the second pillar to the fifth pillar and several pews were realigned to face it. There are a number of notable artworks displayed throughout the church, including the following:
- Baptismal font - made of bronze in 1437, it is supported by three black dragons symbolizing demons and displays figures of Jesus Christ, Mary and the apostles.
- Carved wooden retable - created around 1510, features three unknown Dominican monks
- “The Crucifixion” painted by Michael Ribestein in 1562
- Alabaster pulpit created by Andreas Schlüter in 1703 and decorated with reliefs of John the Baptist and personifications of Faith, Hope, and Love.
- Baroque altar - designed around 1762 by Andreas Krüger. The three paintings are The Removal of Jesus Christ from the Cross (center), Christ on the Mount of Olives (right), and Doubting Thomas and the Disciples in Emmaus (left), painted by Christian Bernhard Rode in 1761.
- Stone relief of Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, carved in the early 15th century.
Outside the church on the north side is a 3.5-meter bronze statue of Martin Luther on a granite pedestal. Originally set up at the New Market in 1893, it was sculpted by M.P. Otto (sculptor of the Humboldt monuments at the University) and Robert Toberentz. For the 500th birthday of Luther in 1983, the statue was placed at its present location next to St. Mary's.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Marienkirche, St. Marienkirche, Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Marien, St. Mary's Church, Church of St. Mary |
| Type of site: | Protestant church (formerly Catholic) |
| Dates: | Completed early 14th century |
| Location: | Near Alexanderplatz, next to the famous TV tower, east of Museum Island (see map above) |
| Address: | Karl - Liebknecht - Str. 8 10178 Berlin |
| Phone: | 2 42 44 67 |
| E-mail: | Buero@marienkirche-berlin.de |
| Hours: | Nov-Mar: daily 10-4; Apr-Oct: daily 10-9; no visits during services |
| Services: | Sat 4:30; Sun 10:30, 6:30 |
| Cost: | Free |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Marienkirche in Berlin. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Berlin Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Marienkirche Berlin - official website
- St. Marienkirche (Berlin) - German Wikipedia
