Church of Peace

Potsdam, Germany

The Protestant Church of Peace (Friedenskirche) is situated in the palace grounds of Sanssouci Park in Potsdam. The church was built according to the wishes and with the close involvement of the artistically gifted King Frederick William IV and designed by the court architect, Ludwig Persius. After Persius' death in 1845, the architect Friedrich August Stüler was charged with continuing his work. Building included work by Ferdinand von Arnim and Ludwig Ferdinand Hesse also. The church is located in the area covered by the UNESCO World Heritage Site Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin.

The cornerstone of the churchhouse was laid on April 14, 1845. The building was dedicated on September 24, 1848, though construction continued until 1854. The structure resembles a High Medieval Italian monastery. The Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum was added to the north side between 1888 and 1890. The plans were drawn up by Julius Carl Raschdorff, who also designed the Berlin Cathedral from 1893 to 1905, in the style of the Baroque-influenced Italian High Renaissance. The 17th century Chapel of the Holy Tomb in Innichen, South Tyrol, Italy, serves as an archetype for the Mausoleum, which in turn was based on the chapel on Jerusalem's Calvary Hill. The mausoleum is a domed structure with an oval outline and an attached rectangular altar room. The inside contains a surrounding gallery and the domed roof, supported by two black columns, one on top of the other, which run around the edge. A golden mosaic on the inside of the roof shows alternating angels and palm trees.

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Details

Founded: 1845
Category: Religious sites in Germany
Historical period: German Confederation (Germany)

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Boyan Aleksandrov (2 years ago)
The church resembles a High Medieval Italian monastery in form and size from the early Christian Basilica di San Clemente in Rome. And it had to accommodate the apse mosaic from the church San Cipriano on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon. The free-standing 42 m high bell tower is based on the design of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome.
Dylan Filkins (2 years ago)
If you are into photography, this is a lovely, quiet place to go. You'll find plenty of places to explore with your camera, and away from the crowds of the more popular castle.
Pulguim (2 years ago)
Quiet place for reflection. You can see how the Soviet administration cared so little about religious places like that, as well as sights related to the old reign of Prussia. The whole city is a hidden gem for those interested in history, like us.
Santan Maddi (2 years ago)
Huge park, may take a day to go to every corner. The place was very peaceful and serene.
Marcus Hurley (3 years ago)
This is a very photogenic church, set next to a lake for maximum effect. I couldn't see any English information so I'm not sure of the history but it was lovely and peaceful to walk around although it was obviously a relatively modern (19th century?) building. Free to enter and set in lovely parkland.
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