Oldest church in Berlin. Amazed by its impressive spires, stone walls, and cobblestone road.read more

St Nickolai Kirche is the oldest surviving building in Spandau, prettily located close to the…read more"Aldstadt Spandau" U-bahn station. We visited Spandau on the recommendation of our guide book, which described the old town as having survived better than most in the area. This turned out to have been a little optimistic, as the old town has been heavily rebuilt and contains some large department stores, so - although pedestrianised - the atmosphere of most of it is definitely not historic. The area around the church, however, does contain a few half-timbered buildings and the square on which the church located is delightful. The church itself was founded in 1239, but the present building dates from a rebuilding in 1370, probably completed around the end of the 14th century. The tower was added in 1467-8, but renewed in 1744 (after a fire in 1740), and completely rebuilt again after another fire, caused by Allied bombing in 1944. The church was also attacked during the Napoleonic Wars (see the cannon-ball lodged in its wall), but restored in 1839, and again after World War II in 1949. A further restoration in 1989 restored the tower to its pre-War appearance. The church is constructed of brick, and consists of an aisled nave and apsed chancel with an ambulatory. The interior is largely whitewashed, better to display the brick structure, and particularly the attractive ribbed vaulting. Furnishings of note include the bronze font (1398), the magnificent Renaissance alter-piece (1582), and a crucifixion group dating from the early 16th century. The magnificent late-17th century baroque pulpit was originally in the chapel of the City Palace in Potsdam: it was transferred to St John's church in 1751, and moved to the St Nickolai Kirche in 1903. The walls are hung with life-sized portraits of several former ministers from the 16th century onwards, and there are some fine memorial slabs from the 16th to 18th centuries. The church holds regular services and is also a venue for concerts.

The American Church in Berlin has its roots in the work of the German-American American Methodist…read moreEpiscopal (ME) missionary preacher Ludwig Nippert. He began worship in English in the large hall of his apartment in Klosterstrasse in January 1859. Worship moved to a purpose built chapel in Junkerstrasse in 1880, and in 1903 a permanent church was erected in Nollendorfplatz. This was closed (and the pastor asked to leave Germany) in 1941 and the building was destroyed during an air-raid in 1943. The post war history saw the church split into a more distinctly Lutheran church in 1955, which reassumed the ecumenical and non-denominational mantle of the American Church in 1987. Worship moved to current building in 2002 which was purchased as a permanent home in 2007. The Church engages in a wide range of community outreach. There is a more traditional Sunday morning service at 11am with a more informal Gospel service in the afternoon. I've been attending on my visits to Berlin for around 7 years and found it friendly and welcoming.

American Church is one of the gorgeous buildings in the Bülowkiez, it hard to miss. The…read morecongregation can trace back to the 19th century, its original Church was built in Nollendorfplatz, later was destroyed by bombing in 1944. But the congregation continued their in others churches in South Berlin. Till 2002, it moved to the current location in Dennewitzplatz. Although the church is closed most of the time, its architecture style is still quite charming, it attracts many visitors. Next to the church is one of the most popular park - Park am Gleisdreieck, great to have a walk there.

While we were in Germany for the Berlin Marathon we had a chance to explore and visit the Kaiser…read moreWilhelm Memorial Church. It's over 100 years old and was badly damaged during the WW2 allied bombings. Amazing that it's still standing and is a reminder of such a terrible time in history. There is a newer more modern looking addition that is actively used and we viewed a listing of events and times to attend. We didn't have a chance to do these as we were on a tour with a quick stop here. Just from the outside you can view the remnants of the church, some sculptures, art pieces, and information. Some of the original church was rebuilt and restored and it's a beautiful piece of architecture. Definitely worth a visit if you're a history buff.

This was an amazing place to visit. We did not pay for the guided tour, but we did walk around and…read moreinside the church to see the amazing architecture, including what was destroyed in war and rebuilt. It was very interesting to see the lasting cracks and damage. The inside of the church has information about the church's history that you can read at your own pace for free. We also visited the chapel, which was beautiful.

If you are visiting Potsdam, this will probably be your first stop, and rightfully so. Apparently…read moreduring WWII it was heavily damaged and is now in an almost restored state. Still some work to do. You can climb the tower for a small fee (I was lazy and did not) and there is a suggested 2 euro donation as you leave. Perfectly legit and I was happy to oblige. The church itself is beautiful, but not overwhelming like some. Helpfully, there is an explanatory laminated page on the left, just as you enter, with a full history - available in 10 languages or so.