St.Mauritius

Did the stark concrete of St. Mauritius surprise you? Many find its Brutalist style unexpected. Here in Munich’s Moosach district, St. Mauritius stands as a bold statement of 20th-century architecture. It’s a far cry from the ornate churches of Old Town. St. Mauritius emerged from the post-war boom. Moosach expanded rapidly. St. Martin’s parish couldn’t accommodate everyone. So, in 1952, the St. Mauritius Foundation was born. Initially, a humble tent served as the church. Imagine attending mass under canvas! It was replaced with a larger tent in 1963. Construction of the permanent St. Mauritius began in 1965, on Templestraße. The church was consecrated in March 1967. Architects Groethuysen, Schreiber, and Sachsse designed a unified complex. The buildings, including a kindergarten and parish hall, are arranged along a pedestrian path. The original caretaker’s house had to be rebuilt. It suffered from structural issues. The new one echoes the Brutalist style. St. Mauritius’s main space is a striking concrete cube. It’s 21 meters wide and 14 meters high. Imagine the sense of space! Natural light filters through nine domed skylights above the altar and a narrow band of windows high up. The altar area is surrounded on three sides by pews, reflecting the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The main hall is encircled by lower sections, creating a unique spatial dynamic. A side chapel and baptistery are nestled within these lower spaces. Edith Peres-Lethmate’s steel and bronze Stations of the Cross adorn one wall. They offer a powerful visual narrative. The architects chose the Brutalist style deliberately. They saw it as a reflection of the “noble simplicity” described in the Second Vatican Council’s liturgy document. They believed modern architecture could express religious faith just as effectively as traditional styles. St. Mauritius certainly stands as proof of that belief. Even the organ, installed in 1981, reflects this modern approach, with its electronic action and split sections. Though initially a separate parish, St. Mauritius joined with St. Martin and Frieden Christi in 2014. This reflects changing demographics and a shortage of priests. Yet, St. Mauritius continues to stand as a testament to its community and a unique landmark in Munich’s architectural landscape.