traveldk.com

Berlin Cathedral, the largest and most lavish church in town, was reopened in 1993, after almost 40 years of restoration. Designed by Julius Raschdorf in 1894–1905, the building reflects the empire’s aspirations to power. In particular, the imperial stairs, made from black marble, are a manifestation of the proximity of the Hohenzollern town residence opposite the cathedral. Members of this ruling dynasty are buried in the crypt. The main nave, topped by a 85-m (279-ft) high dome is remarkable. The church is dominated by a magnificent 20th-century Neo-Baroque pulpit and the giant Sauer organ.

Berlin’s largest Catholic church was commissioned by Frederick the Great in 1747–73 after his conquest of Silesia (see Unter den Linden) .

Work started in 1270 on the Church of St Mary, which nestles at the foot of the Fernsehturm. Gothic and Baroque in style, it has an impressive Neo-Gothic tower, added in 1790 by Carl Gotthard Langhans. The font (1437) and the fresco Dance of the Dead (1485) are among the church’s oldest treasures. The richly ornamented Baroque pulpit was created by Andreas Schlüter in 1703.

Berlin’s oldest sacred building, the Church of St Nicholas was built in 1230, in the Nikolaiviertel. The present church, with its red-brick twin towers, dates from around 1300. It is particularly famous for the portal on the west wall of the main nave, created by Andreas Schlüter. It is adorned with a gilded relief depicting a goldsmith and his wife. The church was rebuilt in 1987 and today houses parts of the municipal museum.

A landmark in West Berlin, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church successfully combines modern architecture with the ruins of the church tower (see Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche) .

Berlin’s largest synagogue, built originally in 1859–66, was demolished in World War II but completely reconstructed in 1988–95. Its magnificent dome is visible from afar (see Central Berlin: Scheunenviertel) .

This small brick church was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1824–30, in the Neo-Gothic style. Originally it was meant to serve the German and French communities of the Friedrichswerder district. Today, the Schinkel Museum is based here.

The small synagogue looks the same today as when it was originally built 100 years ago (see Prenzlauer Berg) .

The only Russian-Orthodox church in Berlin, the Church of Christ’s Ascension is known for its green onion domes. Services are still held in Russian, following Orthodox rituals.

At 66 m (216 ft) high, this Baroque tower, which dates back to 1701–5, is a magnificent ornamental structure for the church serving Berlin’s Huguenot community.