There’s a common perception in the press that the majority of young Berliners worship at the temple of techno, but that belies a truly multi-cultural mish mash of faiths within the city. In fact, Berlin boasts over 100 active religious communities in Berlin, which means you’ll find plenty of places where faith is an important part of daily life. The Berliner Dom may seem the most obvious, but take a look past the main dome of the city, and you’ll find plenty of other places of worship well worth your time.
An epicenter of Jewish life in Berlin and indeed in all of Germany, the impressive New Synagogue is a short walk away from Miniloft on Oranienburger Strasse. Constructed between 1859 and 1866, it’s a suitably grand space, with room for up to 3,000 worshippers under the golden dome. A permanent exhibition commemorates the history of the building, which survived various onslaughts throughout the 20th century and hints at the previous diversity of Jewish life in Berlin, particularly in the 19th century.
Sri Mayurapathy Murugan Temple
Head a little further outside of the city ring and south to Blashkoallee, where Berlin’s Tamil Hindus worship, and you’ll find the amazingly colourful Sri Mayurapathy Murugan Temple. Boasting a 12-metre tower to showcase the many deities in Hinduism, it’s a spectacular burst of colour in the surrounding landscape. Visitors are welcome, but must obey the usual protocols.
Standing along Neukölln’s Columbiadamm, at the other side of Hasenheide and near to Tempelhof, is the Sehitlik Mosque – a huge and incredible building that serves a portion of Berlin’s Islamic community. Open to all, there are also group tours available for parties of 8 or more.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is not just a site for Protestant worship – it has grown to become one of the symbols of Berlin’s incredible ability to rebuild and reconcile after the tumult of the last century. The original church was destroyed in World War II, but underneath the modernist, fractured sections of the church, you’ll still find some of those original ruins. The result is a church that when inside is a place to remember the cost of the darker side of human nature.
The Church of Reconciliation was a symbol throughout divided Berlin. During the earlier years of division, the church resided on the infamous death strip along Bernauer Str. In effect, it was an obsolete structure, with residents unable to enter. And in a GDR society where religion was not considered to be useful to their aims, the church became a spatial and ideological annoyance, leading to its iconic demolition in 1985. After unification, the local parish decided to rescue the altar and bells from the rubble of the original church, creating a new Chapel of Reconciliation. The chapel was completed in 2000. Constructed from rammed earth and wood, it is a fragile but resilient structure that serves as both memorial and ongoing place of worship.
