Berlin WW2 ToursKaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church: The Ruin, the New Church and How to Visit
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stands on Breitscheidplatz in former West Berlin. Allied bombing on 22 November 1943 left the neo-Romanesque church a ruin, and Berlin kept the broken spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church as a memorial to the war and its victims. This guide covers the church's history, the memorial hall in the old entrance hall, the Eiermann new church beside it, opening hours, admission and transport. It also shows how to fit the site into a day of WW2 sightseeing in Berlin, on your own or with a guide. Admission to the church and the memorial hall is free. If you want context from a guide, Berlin WW2 tours include walks through the government quarter that pair well with an afternoon here.
The bombed tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Breitscheidplatz. Photo: Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The bombed church at a glance
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was bombed on 22 November 1943 and its ruined spire, about 71 m (Berlin.de gives about 68 m) of the original 113 m, was deliberately preserved on Breitscheidplatz. Berliners call it the Gedächtniskirche. The church is open daily 10:00 to 18:00 and admission is free.
Key takeaways
- Visit the memorial hall in the old entrance hall to see the Coventry nail cross, a Russian Orthodox icon cross and the damaged altar Christ figure. Check before you go, because Berlin.de announces that the hall closes for renovation and it may already be shut.
- Step into Egon Eiermann's new church next door, built in 1959-1963 with 21,292 glass inlays in blue tones. Plan your day with the Berlin WW2 itinerary.
- The church sits in the west, away from the central government-quarter walks such as the 2-hour walk. Pair it with the Olympiastadion or the Topography of Terror by train.
- It is one of several WW2 sites you can visit free of charge. Compare the options in the WW2 sites you can see on your own section.
From Imperial Church to War Ruin
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church began as an imperial monument. Air raids in 1943 destroyed it, and the decision to keep the broken tower made it one of Berlin's central war memorials.
Key Dates
The table below lists the main dates in the church's history, from its foundation stone as a monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I through the bombing of 22 November 1943 to the construction of Egon Eiermann's new church. The figures come from the church's documentation and Berlin.de's listing. The old church was designed by Franz Schwechten in neo-Romanesque style.
Its spire reached 113 m.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 22 March 1891 | Foundation stone laid |
| 1 September 1895 | Old church dedicated |
| 22 February 1906 | Old entrance hall consecrated |
| 22 November 1943 | Church bombed in an air raid, leaving the spire damaged at about 71 m (Berlin.de gives about 68 m), against the original 113 m |
| 17 December 1961 | Egon Eiermann's new church consecrated, built in 1959-1963 with 21,292 glass inlays by Gabriel Loire |
| 7 January 1987 | Memorial hall in the old entrance hall reopened |
Why the Ruin Was Kept
The broken spire was preserved on Breitscheidplatz as a memorial against war and destruction. What remains of the tower is about 71 m high according to Wikipedia, while Berlin.de gives about 68 m. A plaque for the victims of Nazi tyranny was installed on 20 July 1964.
The memorial hall reopened on 7 January 1987 and now displays objects that speak of the war's cost: the Coventry nail cross from the bombed cathedral in Coventry, a Russian Orthodox icon cross and the damaged altar Christ figure of the old church. The ruin stands beside Eiermann's modern octagonal church. The original nave had seated more than 2,000 people.
The new octagon is 35 m in diameter and 20.5 m high, seats over 1,000 people and takes its blue light from Gabriel Loire's 21,292 stained-glass inlays, inspired by Chartres. A Karl Schuke organ with about 5,000 pipes stands in the new church, and the bells were cast in 1960 at the Rincker foundry in Sinn.
The Stalingrad Madonna
The church also connects to the Stalingrad Madonna, which Kurt Reuber drew in charcoal at Christmas 1942. Like the Coventry cross in the memorial hall, it recalls shared destruction rather than victory.
Sources: Berlin.de listing, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district
Visiting the Church and the Memorial Hall
The church is at Budapester Straße 50 on Breitscheidplatz. Entry is free.
Hours and Admission
Berlin.de lists the church as open daily 10:00 to 18:00 with free admission. The memorial hall in the old entrance hall has its own listed hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 18:00. Berlin.de announces that the memorial hall closes for renovation, so it may already be shut.
Check the current situation on the official listing before you go. If the hall is shut, you can still walk around the ruined spire from outside and enter the new church. There is no entry ticket to buy at either door.
What You See Inside
The memorial hall occupies the old entrance hall at the foot of the ruined spire. The exhibits are the Coventry nail cross, the Russian Orthodox icon cross and the damaged Christ figure from the old altar. The new church next door is a different experience.
The octagon seats over 1,000 people under blue glass, and the 21,292 inlays give the room a mainly blue light. The Karl Schuke organ, with about 5,000 pipes, is one of the reasons to attend a service. Organ and choir vespers or cantata services are held on Saturdays at 18:00 according to a secondary source.
Getting There and How Long to Allow
The Breitscheidplatz stop is served by S3, S5, S7, S9, U1, U2 and U9, plus buses 100, 200 and M46, all within about 100 m of the church. A single AB ticket costs €4 (reduced €2.50) and is valid for 2 hours. If you are combining several sites in one day, a 24-hour AB ticket costs €11.20 (reduced €7.40).
Sources: Berlin.de listing, Berlin.de transport fares
Why Was This Church Left in Ruins?
Why Berlin kept the bombed spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Third-party video by Let's Walk The City With Me!. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Fitting It Into a WW2 Day
Breitscheidplatz lies in former West Berlin, some distance from the central WW2 sites around Brandenburg Gate and Friedrichstraße. With a bit of planning it fits into the same day by train.
Why It Is Off the Central Walks
The guided WW2 walks in Berlin concentrate on the government quarter. The 2-hour walk starts at the Tourist Information at Brandenburg Gate and moves on foot through the Reichstag, the Soviet War Memorial, Hitler's Bunker site and the Topography of Terror for $27. Other options such as the 3-hour walk from Friedrichstraße for $19.66 cover the same central cluster. None of these walks reaches Breitscheidplatz, which is why this page exists.
Treat the church as a separate stop.
Combining It by U-Bahn and S-Bahn
From Breitscheidplatz, the S3, S5, S7 and S9 and the U1, U2 and U9 put the rest of the city within a single ticket. The Olympiastadion is the 1936 Olympic site with its 77 m bell tower, and visits are booked at tickets.olympiastadion.berlin. For the Topography of Terror, take the U2 to Potsdamer Platz.
The documentation centre at Niederkirchnerstraße 8 is free and open daily 10:00 to 20:00, with the outdoor areas until dusk. If you would rather have the west and the centre explained together, a private walking tour meets you in the foyer of your hotel. The full comparison of WW2 tours in Berlin shows which routes start where.
A Practical Sequence
One workable day looks like this. Walk the government quarter in the morning on a guided tour, then take the U2 from Potsdamer Platz to Breitscheidplatz for the church and memorial hall in the early afternoon. Finish at the Topography of Terror, which is open until 20:00 daily and costs nothing.
If you are planning several days, the Berlin WW2 itinerary orders the sites so you are not doubling back across the city.
Sources: Topography of Terror, Olympiastadion ticket listings
The interior of the Eiermann church with its wall of blue glass. Photo: HerrAdams, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Is the Church Worth the Trip West?
If You are already on Kurfürstendamm or at Zoologischer Garten
Go in. The ruined tower and the blue glass church stand side by side on Breitscheidplatz, and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church visit costs nothing.
If You have one morning for WW2 sites
Stay in the centre and take the 2-hour walk from the Brandenburg Gate, $27, then come west later if time allows.
If You want the end of the war in Berlin
Pair the church with the Soviet War Memorials, which mark the Battle of Berlin of 16 April to 2 May 1945.
If You are planning two or three days
Put the church on the western day of the Berlin WW2 itinerary with the Olympiastadion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the war?
The church was bombed on 22 November 1943. The spire, originally 113 m tall, was left standing at about 71 m according to Wikipedia, or about 68 m according to Berlin.de. Berlin kept the ruin as a memorial and built Egon Eiermann's new church beside it in 1959-1963.
Is the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church free to enter?
Yes. The church is open daily 10:00 to 18:00 and admission is free, and the memorial hall in the old entrance hall is also free during its hours. Because the hall is announced to close for renovation, check the Berlin.de listing before you go.
Where is the bombed church in Berlin?
The bombed church is the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Budapester Straße 50 on Breitscheidplatz in former West Berlin. The Breitscheidplatz stop, served by S3, S5, S7, S9, U1, U2 and U9 plus buses 100, 200 and M46, is about 100 m away. You can reach it easily after one of the WW2 walking tours that end in the centre.
What is inside the memorial hall in the old entrance hall?
The memorial hall displays the Coventry nail cross, a Russian Orthodox icon cross and the damaged altar Christ figure of the old church. It reopened on 7 January 1987 and Berlin.de lists it as open Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 18:00. The hall is announced to close for renovation, so verify on the Berlin.de listing before travelling.
What is the Gedächtniskirche?
Gedächtniskirche, meaning memorial church, is the common German name for the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Berliners use it for the whole ensemble: the ruined spire preserved as a war memorial and the blue-glass octagonal church by Egon Eiermann with its 21,292 inlays. You can see both on a free visit, or combine the site with guided Berlin WW2 tours.
Can I hear music at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church?
Yes. The new church holds a Karl Schuke organ with about 5,000 pipes, and organ and choir vespers or cantata services are held on Saturdays at 18:00 according to a secondary source. Entry to the church is free. If you want a guided day first, the half-day tour covers the Third Reich sites in 4 hours before you head west to Breitscheidplatz.