Nikolaikirche, the Church of St. Nicholas, is the oldest church in Berlin, located in the heart of the Old Town, in the little neighborhood of Nikolaiviertel, with its characteristic maze of narrow, little, stone paved streets. It was here that the fishing village of Berlin was established and which, together with the village of Cölln, gave rise to the Berlin we know today.
The Catholic church was built between 1220 and 1230, but in 1539, following the Reformation, it became a Lutheran church. This building hosted the first Lutheran religious service in the entire region, immediately after the conversion of Joachim II Hector of Brandenburg.
Most of the buildings in this old neighborhood, like others, were rebuilt in the 1980s, when the government of the German Democratic Republic finally decided, on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the city’s foundation, to rebuild the area that had been devastated by the bombing during the Second World War.
This work also included the reconstruction of the Church of St. Nicholas, which had lost its roof and the upper part of the two towers. Dating back to the 13th century, however, are undoubtedly the stone base of the facade, the portal on the right side and the Neo-Gothic style with the two tall towers that is the signature feature of the building.
Inside the church, which in 1939 became a concert hall and is still used as such today, you’ll find a museum, illustrating the history of the building and of the neighborhood, starting from its origins, with a number of objects salvaged from the devastation caused by the bombing raids. You can also admire a collection of sculptures. Don’t miss the fourteenth-century octagonal baptismal font and the pulpit the bishop used to preach from, dating to the 18th century.
Let me leave you with an interesting fact: for many years, Berlin’s most illustrious citizens wanted to be buried here, with some paying huge sums to secure the privilege of being laid to rest in Nikolaikirche. For this reason, the church is also known as the “pantheon of the most important Berliners”.
Language: English