image author: Gisela Pape

Berlin's oldest preserved building is the St. Nicholas church, built from the 13th -15th century. The St. Nicolai main church can be recognised by its strikingly enormous roof. The foundation of the St. Nicholas Church was already laid down by the first settlers in the year 1230. It was built originally in the 'Romanesque style'. But first rebuilding took place in 1379. The church was enlarged in the forms of the gothic style. The longhouse was newly built in brick and got its present look apart from the tower. The church only had one tower until 1877/1878. It was heavily damaged during the 2nd World War. It was fundamentally restored only in 1981 under the direction of Hermann Blankenstein. The towers were not destroyed and therefore, the old tower has been originally preserved in its Romanesque and the second in gothic style. The entrance, built in gothic style stayed unscathed. The interior stems from the second half of the 17th century.

A special mention is necessary for the splendid baroque organ from the Leipziger organ builder Christoph Donat, the richly decorated wooden gallery with a double spiral staircase and the sandstone pulpit built by the Torgau sculptor Andreas Schultze. The small image of Emperor Karl IV at the south side of the sandstone portal seems in contrast rather modest.

An exhibition about the building history of Berlin's oldest parish church and of St. Nicolai as working place and grave of important Berlin personalities can be seen at the church premise. On show are also sacral texts as well as sacral sculptures from the 14th -16th century from Berlin and the Mark Brandenburg. Especially well worth seeing is the splendid grave chapel created in 1725 by Georg Glume for Johann Andreas von Kraut as well as the grave for Daniel Männlich, who died in 1700 created Andreas Schlüter. The famous »Spandauer Madonna«, a sandstone sculpture, created around 1290 stems from the Spandau Nikolai-Church. A viewing pit allows sight onto the foundation and the brickwork of the southern apis of the Romanesque basilica. The church hall, which has space for 301 people is also used as event place for lectures and old music concerts especially church music. An organ created by the company Jehmlich from Dresden has been available since December 1997.
Address Nikolaikirche:
Nikolaikirchplatz 10178 Berlin-Mitte





Transport Links:
U2, U5, U8 Alexanderplatz, Klosterstraße
Alexanderplatz, Hackescher Markt
M2, M4, M5, M6 Alexanderplatz
100, 200, 143, 148, TXL

+49 (30) 24724529

To the Homepage of the Museum Nikolai-Church