Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is over 100 years old. The church was heavy damaged in 1943 during a bombing during World War II. The newer addition that is actively used is adjacent and has a remarkable bright blue backdrop that really took my breath away.

What could I possibly say that hasn't already been said? If you've never visited, then make it part of your first or second trip to Berlin. Definitely do the tour, and climb up. Well worth it to hear the guide recite the history of the church.

Called "the hollow tooth" the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is a Protestant church on the Kurfürstendamm in the centre of the Breitscheidplatz. Badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1943 the present building was built between 1959 and 1963, but the damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial hall acting as modern history.

I love history, and this is as good as it gets. For our younger generations, we never really get to see the impact of WW1 and WW2.

This church is a perfect example. It shows us no matter what side who fought for what, it shows what happens.

I think this is a masterpiece, and I think it is a great reminder to us all at what the price of war is.

Off the subject of war- the old church is simple, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

The new part is very unique- I think anyone who is in Berlin should at least stop by and soak in its rich history

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche is an example of everything I love about Berlin. Let me explain:

The one thing that really struck me about Berlin was that in a lot of areas, you'd be walking around and then all of a sudden you'd come across an old bombed-out building. Now, in most places, those buildings would be torn down to make way for something new. Not so in Berlin. Instead of tearing town their scars of war, Berliners instead embrace the buildings as a part of their past, and in many cases, turn them into works of art. The Berlin wall is the most obvious example, but you can find examples throughout the city.

I found the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche to be particularly striking. Although it isn't covered in graffiti like so many other ruinous buildings in Berlin, I love the way this old building is juxtaposed against all the new retail stores in this area. It's definitely one of the more interesting landmarks in the city.

Damaged during World War 2 (air raid 1943). You can hear/see the orchestra there as well. Originally built in 1890s. It's in the city near the mall and the zoo. It's interesting to see historical structures near modern shops. Either way, it's a beautiful build with tons of history. It's currently under construction.

Just want to let people know that is is currently undergoing construction and you can't really see it--so if you were going to make your way out there just for this, don't. Not sure when it will be over, sorry :(

A lot of the interior of the old church is in remarkably good condition - I had expected it to be a blasted out shell. The modern church seems a little bit dated now but it's still worth seeing. It's surprisingly tranquil considering it's sandwiched in between two busy streets.


Worth seeing if you want an idea of the extent of the destruction that the Nazi regime wrought upon Germany during World War Two.

If you are interested in History, it is a place to go. It is a reminder of the World War II and its power of destruction. It also gives us an overview of the old church and its beautiful architecture. The new one is more interesting inside.

The Kaiser Dom is a major landmark in central Berlin. Commissioned by Kaiser Wilhelm II and built 1893-1905, this huge church contains a crypt with the remains of the Hohenzollern Dynasty with the notable exception of Wilhelm II himself. It is technically not a cathedral the German word 'Dom' also referring to collegiate churches with endowments. History The church is built on the site of a series of earlier churches, the first of which was a Royal Chapel of the Brandenburg family built in 1451. This became a collegiate church in 1465 and the burial place of the Hohenzollern dynasty from 1545. A new facade was added in 1667, but in 1747 the church was demolished to make way for an extension to the castle, and a new church church erected in 1747-50 in the Baroque style. Karl Friedrich Schinkel remodeled this in 1820 in a simpler neo-classical style, but Wilhelm II wanted something altogether grander for his redeveloped capital, and so the 'new' church was demolished and replaced with the present church in the 19th Century Neo-Baroque style. The building was badly damaged in 1940 and again in 1944, when the dome was hit by an incendiary bomb and collapsed, the rubble falling through into the crypt. Restoration was begun in 1975 and completed in 1993. During this period, one of the wings the Memorial Hall was removed to simplify the design. The church Designed by Julius and Otto Rachsdorff in an Imperial neo-Baroque style, the exterior dimensions are suitably impressive: 114 metres (374 ft) long, 73 metres (240 ft) wide and 116 metres (381 ft) tall to the top of the dome. The interior is that of a large basilica, with a Marriage Chapel on the south side: the style is, as you would expect, grandiose, with acres of marble and gilding, but there is no question that it is impressive. The dome ceiling is decorated with more statues, gilding and mosaics, and the huge 114-pipe organ has three 32' pipes. The crypt has an altogether different ambience, the coffins of dozens of Hohenzollerns from the 15t century onwards lying under whitewashed low-vaulted ceilings, though some of the coffins are quite elaborate in themselves. A few shown signs of damaged suffered during World War II. Facilities Except for services, an entrance fee is charged to cover maintenance costs. There is a small cafe, museum and shop. As well as the main church, marriage hall and crypt, access is available to the base of the dome, from which there are excellent views of Mitte (and the queues are a lot less than the ugly TV tower nearby). There are a lot of steps, however, so only for the fit! The church has a locally-drawn congregation: for information on services, see the website.