St. Hedwig’s Cathedral (German: St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale), is one of Berlin’s most important religious buildings. Located on Bebelplatz in the Mitte district, it forms a key part of the Forum Fridericianum. The building was severely damaged during the Second World War, and during the reconstruction, far-reaching changes were decided upon. As of 2018, construction work is underway to restore the cathedral to its former interior layout.
Construction of the cathedral began in 1747 on the initiative of Frederick the Great, who commissioned the architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. The cathedral was designed in Rococo style and was the first newly built Catholic church in Berlin since the Reformation. Frederick the Great, who was known for his policy of religious tolerance, decided to build the church to serve the newly arrived Catholics, mainly from Silesia. The church was dedicated to St Hedwig of Andechs, who is the very patron saint of Silesia.
St Hedwig’s Cathedral around 1850. Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The construction of the temple took many years and its completion was made possible by financial support from Rome and from the King himself. Despite difficulties such as the Seven Years’ War, in 1773 Bishop Ignacy Krasicki performed the ceremonial consecration of the church, which, however, was not yet completed. The dome and the gable frieze were built at the end of the 19th century, and in 1886-1887 Max Hasak finally brought the project to completion, covering the dome with a layer of copper and crowning it with a lantern with a cross. The interior was decorated in neo-Baroque style. In 1927, Pope Pius XI gave the church the title of basilica minor. With the creation of the Diocese of Berlin on 13 August 1930, St Hedwig’s Church became the cathedral of the new diocese. Between 1930 and 1932, the interior was rebuilt by the Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister.
During the Second World War, on the night of 1 to 2 March 1943, St Hedwig’s Cathedral was severely damaged in a bombing raid. Among other things, the dome of the church collapsed and the interior was destroyed by fire. Reconstruction of the cathedral took place between 1952 and 1963 to a design by Hans Schwippert. The new interior was an example of post-war modernism, and the external architecture followed the original design. The rebuilt dome received a modern parabolic concrete structure covered with copper. The interior, on the other hand, underwent a much more substantial metamorphosis. An opening of several metres was punched in the floor through which the main prayer hall was connected to the crypt, creating two levels connected by a staircase. The crypt of the cathedral, modelled on early Christian basilicas, originally served as an underground church with a baptismal chapel and burial place for the bishops of Berlin. The cathedral also received a new decoration – much simpler and more economical.
The cathedral has been closed since 2018 due to a major renovation and redevelopment. As part of the new project, led by Sichau & Walter Architekten GmbH, it was decided to close the opening to the underground and create a central liturgical space with a new altar placed in the centre. Despite the controversy surrounding the redevelopment plans, including the proposal to keep the existing opening, it was decided to remove it, thus restoring the old interior layout. On the exterior, meanwhile, the most significant change will be that a new three-metre-high golden cross will be placed above the portico tympanum instead of on top of the dome, making it more visible. When the building is upgraded, the entrance doors will also be replaced – from bronze to glass.
The renovated cathedral is scheduled to open in December 2024.
Source: guide-by-berlin.co.uk, omnesmag.com
Also read: Architecture | Metamorphosis | Sacred architecture | Berlin | Germany
