Friedenskirche (Peace Church) is a

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

church in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...

, Germany, and the parish church of the Evangelische Friedensgemeinde Stuttgart. The first church, in neo-Romanesque style was consecrated in 1892. Destroyed during World War II, with the exception of the tower, it was rebuilt in the 1960s in concrete, and consecrated anew in 1966. The church also serves as a concert venue.

History

First Friedenskirche

The first Friedenskirche was built for the

parish in the centre of

from 1890 in neo-Romanesque style, with a double

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

and narrow gallery and ceiling supported on wooden columns, to designs by architect , and consecrated on 11 December 1892. The tower, in the middle of the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

, was decorated with sculptures of

apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...

and

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

blessing. The church, except for the tower and enclosing walls, burnt out and collapsed after bombing on 19 October 1944, during World War II.

New Friedenskirche

The church was initially left in ruins, with only the tower still intact; for the holding of services, the large hall in the parish centre was remodelled. In 1959, the parish council decided to commission a new church building. The 1960

competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indi ...

was won by architect Eberhard Hübner. After the dynamiting in 1962 of the remaining sandstone walls of the former building, construction began in 1964. Although the architect favoured the use of natural stone, the parish decided on

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...

, making it the first church in Stuttgart to be built using this material. The new church was built with a flat roof, and the tower topped with a metal helmet. Consecrated in 1966 with enough space for 700 worshippers, the church also serves a Korean parish and a Nambu parish. The church features a pipe organ by , and is a popular concert venue. In 2020, Volker Lutz wrote a book about the organ. A gospel choir holds monthly concerts.

References

External links

*
Sprengung Friedenskirche Stuttgart
(video, in German) SWR *{{YouTube, 6x5zG2riLkg, Evangelische Friedenskirche in Stuttgart-Ost 19th-century Lutheran churches in Germany 20th-century Lutheran churches in Germany Churches in Stuttgart Churches of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg

History

First Friedenskirche

New Friedenskirche

See also

References

External links