Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church by Audrey118
This is a very famous landmark on Ku'damm. The original neo-romanesque structure, built in 1895 in honour of Kaiser Wilhelm I, was partially destroyed by the WWII Allied bombing on November 22nd 1943 leaving only the west tower. The burnt out tower was left standing as a reminder of the destroyed city. Inside, there is a small exhibition including some before and after photos. Some of the original ceiling mosaics and elaborate masonry can still be seen, but nothing can disguise the fact that it was constructed in the late 19th century.
The architect Egon Eiermann from Karlsruhe created his beautiful new church with its 20,000 pre fabricated concrete units in 1961.
Its octagonal shape and multitude of blue stained glass windows are certainly very striking and it glows at night , albeit a little out of place, but the feeling of calm and solemn created within. To the other side of the old tower, the architectural chaos is topped off by a tall, modern, hexagonal bell tower of which the ground floor is a One World shop.
