Gethsemane Church in Germany, Berlin resort
Rating: 7,7/10 (343 votes)  Church of Gethsemane – the most famous Protestant church in Berlin. It is located in the Pankow district and is under state protection. The foundation stone of the church took place in March 1891, two years later the construction was completed and the church was consecrated. The church was designed by August Hort. The Gethsemane church is made in a neo-gothic style with elements of neo-romanism and neo-baroque. Outside, the austere church is richly decorated inside. The outer walls are decorated with turrets in the corners. The western tower is crowned with a tall octagonal spire. The interior of the church is notable for ribbed vaults, openwork windows, two-story galleries. In 1927, renovation work was carried out, during which the organ was replaced in the church. During the Second World War, the church was almost not damaged, only the stained glass windows were destroyed. A wooden sculpture created by Wilhelm Gross in 1923 is installed in the southern nave of the church. It depicts Christ on his knees. The sculpture was donated to the memory of the parishioners who died in the Second World War. In front of the western portal there is a statue of Christ the Blessing, installed here in 1993. On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Dukhoborets sculpture appeared in front of the southern wall of the church, which became a symbol of democratic values. Another sculpture is in the church garden. This is the relief"Resistance", created in the 1980s. The Church of Gethsemane acquired particular significance in the process of uniting Berlin, becoming a meeting place for free-thinking activists. The church was open around the clock, with thousands of people participating in the discussions; the walls of the church received demonstrators, who were subjected to police violence. In November 1989, a Beethoven symphony sounded here, to which Rolf Reuter, musical director of an opera house in Berlin, called for the removal of the wall. This call provoked a spontaneous peaceful demonstration. Later, civil rights activists began to gather in the church. After the unification of Berlin and to this day, prayers for peace are held in the church.   We also recommend reading Karl-Marx-Allee in Germany, health resort Berlin Topic: Gethsemane Church in Germany, Berlin resort. |
