The bombed-out church ruins shown in the photograph are located in which German city?

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is currently one of the most compelling landmarks in Berlin, Germany. Its peculiar ruined spire is both charming and sad at the same time and transmits its objective perfectly: to remind all its visitors of the damages caused by a war.

The Romanesque Revival styled church was designed by the German Emperor Wilhelm II in honor of his grandfather Wilhelm I. The Protestant church is affiliated with the Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia, a regional body of the Evangelical Church in Germany. It is located on the Kurfürstendamm in the center of the Breitscheidplatz. The Kurfürstendamm is one of Berlin’s most important thoroughfares.

The original church on the site was built in the 1890s. It was badly damaged in a World War II bombing raid of 1943. In 1950, the Allies planned to demolish the whole building, but the West Germans protested and finally a new church was designed.

The present building, which consists of a church with an attached foyer and a separate belfry with an attached chapel, was built between 1959 and 1963. The damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial hall.

The Berliners have nicknamed the church "der hohle Zahn" meaning “the hollow tooth”.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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13 Comments

Helga U. Williams

I better knew this one. I grew up in that bombed-out hometown of mine, Berlin. May we never have to look at ruins again like I remember!!!

George Oliver Prince

Saw it when visiting Berlin a few years ago. Actually got to go behind the Berlin Wall before it was torn down

deborahpmercer

A haunting reminder of the suffering of war.

Laura Lunardini Wilson

Have been to Berlin a few years ago & saw this church!

Doris Dallaire

First time I went to Berlin, there was scaffolding around it as they were repairing things on it. The following year, the scaffolding was gone. I so like that Church and visited the inside which shows pictures of what it was like when totally ruined, and before. I love a lot things about Berlin but this landmark is one of my favourites.

Helga U. Williams

Mic Fenst, That's ok. 👍😊

Mic Fenst

Helga U. Williams, Danke sehr. My friend only called it Die Gedächtnis Kirche.

Chris Braid

Went for Dresden!

geoffball

Liverpool also has a bombed-out church.

Helga U. Williams

Mic Fenst, Die Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtnis Kirche. The name simply means Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

Mic Fenst

Gedäschnichekirche - the term my friend who grew up in Berlin calls it. Translated to something like a learning memory church. I probably didn't spell if correctly.