Christkönig

Gazing up at the Christkönig church, one might wonder about the echoes of its past. This majestic structure, nestled in Munich’s Neuhausen-Nymphenburg district, has a story to tell. Christkönig wasn’t always here. The original village church of Kemnaten, Nymphenburg’s former name, was demolished to make way for Elector Max Emanuel’s expansion of Nymphenburg Palace in 1701. The palace chapel then served the growing community, but it wasn’t enough. By the turn of the 20th century, Munich was expanding. Nymphenburg became part of the city in 1899. A church-building association was formed. Despite delays caused by war and inflation, the parish of St. Magdalena was founded in 1922. The Christkönig church, as we know it, was finally constructed between 1928 and 1930. The parish was renamed Christkönig in 1936, reflecting the church’s dedication to Christ the King. Tragedy struck on February 25, 1945. A bombing raid devastated the church. But from the ruins, hope emerged. Architect Sep Ruf led the reconstruction between 1947 and 1950. He largely adhered to the original design by August Blößner. Blößner’s design was inspired by Dominikus Zimmermann’s pilgrimage church of Steinhausen. Christkönig features a longitudinal oval shape, punctuated by ten conches. These conches beautifully refract and reflect the light streaming in through tall windows. Ruf did make some changes during reconstruction. He lowered the altar area, making it accessible by seven steps instead of the original fourteen. He also chose flat domes supported by wooden beams for the ceilings of the nave and altar area. The church’s exterior above the entrance was raised by one story. The towers were also modified, giving them a taller, slimmer appearance. Inside, the main altar, crafted from shell limestone, is a work of art by Blasius Gerg from 1977. A striking painting of the Assumption of Mary by Giovanni Lanfranco, on loan from the Bavarian State Painting Collections, adorns the altar area. Remarkably, the tabernacle by Alois Wörle from 1930 survived the bombing. It stands as a testament to resilience, a silent witness to the church’s tumultuous history.