St Martinskirche, also known as St Martin’s Church, is a Protestant parish church in the German city of Kassel, which is also the preaching place of the bishops of the Kurhessen-Waldeck Evangelical Church. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages and its construction was completed in 1462. With Landgraf Philip’s conversion to the Protestant faith in 1524, the church became a place of Protestant worship. During the post-war reconstruction, carried out between 1954 and 1958 under the direction of architect Heinrich Ott Vogel, a number of changes were made to the building’s architecture, but the Gothic references were retained.
In response to the needs of the growing city of Kassel, a decision was made in 1330 to build a new district and church. Work was slow and in several stages, and it was not until 1462 that the church was consecrated. Between 1539 and 1776, the church housed the city’s Latin school, and the building itself underwent many changes and modernisations, including the addition of distinctive neo-Gothic towers in the late 19th century.
Martinskirche in 1820. Photo: Städtische Kunstsammlungen Kassel
During the Second World War, in 1943, the Martinskirche was severely damaged during British air raids, leading to the collapse of the vaults, parts of the towers and the pillars of the nave. Work on the restoration began in 1954 under the direction of architect Heinrich Otto Vogel, who opted for a modern approach to reconstruction. Although many of the architectural elements are reminiscent of the building’s Gothic form, Vogel introduced modern design solutions, particularly evident in the church’s towers. As a result of his work, the former hall church with Gothic roots has acquired a new, simpler aesthetic, while retaining references to its historic form.
The church towers in 1919 and 2022. photo and ErwinMeier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons and Archiv Harald Metz, Bickenbach (2012)
One of the key elements of the post-war reconstruction was also the restoration of the burial place of the Hessian landgraves. Special attention was given to the epitaph of Philip the Great, which was made of alabaster and marble. In 1955, it was moved to the middle of the nave, emphasising its importance as part of the church’s heritage.
In addition to the architectural changes, the reconstruction of St Martin’s Church also had cultural and artistic significance. The building became a place not only for services, but also a space for contemporary works of art. One of the most important developments was the inclusion of the church in the exhibition programme of the international art festival “Documenta”. The Martinskirche thus gained new life as a space combining history, religion and modern art.
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