How about a story of a church that embodies both art and faith? This is the Allerheiligenkirche. It stands in Frankfurt’s Ostend district. Today, let’s discover its story. The Allerheiligenkirche is not just a church. It is known as the KunstKulturKirche. Since 2014, it has been part of the Dompfarrei St. Bartholomäus.
In the 19th century, Frankfurt grew. New neighborhoods appeared around the old city center. The Ostend became a densely populated area. Yet, it lacked churches. The first Protestant church was the Neue St. Nicolaikirche am Zoo. Catholics in Frankfurt still formed one parish until 1917. Their parish church was the Kaiserdom St. Bartholomäus. It had 86,000 members.
On April 2, 1917, several curacy parishes were separated. In 1922, the Allerheiligengemeinde was founded in the Ostend. The name comes from the Allerheiligentor. This gate led from the Ostend to the city center. In the Middle Ages, a small Allerheiligenkapelle stood near the gate.
The Merciful Brothers from Montabaur took over the pastoral care. Services were first held in a small chapel. It was on the Untere Atzemer. This chapel was destroyed in World War II during the air raids on Frankfurt.
In 1927, Martin Weber designed a new building. But it was not built. From 1948, the community could use the rebuilt chapel. It belonged to the Brothers’ Hospital. In 1952, architects Alois Giefer and Hermann Mäckler were commissioned. They would build a new church on Thüringer Straße. It was right next to the zoo wall. Bishop Walther Kampe of Limburg consecrated the church in 1953.
The zoo divides the parish area. A northern part is a residential area. The church is located there. The southern part is industrial and commercial. Hans Leistikow designed the large glass window. It features geometric shapes.
In November 1954, a jury recognized the building. The Bund Deutscher Architekten and the Hessian Minister of Finance formed the jury. They named it an exemplary building in Hesse. Architects Werner Hebebrand, Konrad Rühl, Sep Ruf, and Ernst Zinsser were on the jury.
On January 1, 2014, the Catholic parishes were reorganized. Allerheiligen, St. Bernhard, Deutschorden, Liebfrauen, St. Ignatius, and St. Antonius merged. They formed the new large parish Dom St. Bartholomäus. The previous communities would remain as church locations. They would ensure an active community life. The leading priests of the religious orders were called church rectors. They were not called pastors.
Spanish-language masses take place in the Allerheiligenkirche. They occur every Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. Between the zoo and the former Brothers’ Hospital rises the Allerheiligenkirche. It has a campanile on a parabolic floor plan.
Outside, the walls have alternating yellow and white sandstone. Inside, the walls are simply white. Side rooms with galleries frame the building to the west and east. A skylight rises above the altar on four slender columns. The Allerheiligen reliefs above the main portals by Hans Mettel stand out.
The Allerheiligenkirche’s organ was built in 1955. The organ builder was Euler from Hofgeismar. The instrument has 26 registers and about 2,000 pipes. It has three manuals and a pedal. The instrument is a cultural monument. It follows the Hessian Monument Protection Act. The postwar instrument needs repair. It is being restored in sections. It is being expanded into a contemporary instrument. The plan is to install a swellable multiplex unit. Its registers can be coupled into the individual units.
Today, the Allerheiligenkirche continues to evolve. It embraces modern art and music. It remains a vital part of Frankfurt’s cultural and religious life. The Allerheiligenkirche is a testament to faith. It is also a celebration of art. It is a unique space in the heart of Frankfurt.