Jonakirche

Gazing at the Jonakirche, one might see a fish. The oval tower and rhombic base create this unusual shape. This unique church stands in Mannheim’s Blumenau district. The Jonakirche, also known as the Blumenaukapelle, has a fascinating story. Originally envisioned for the growing Blumenau community in the 1930s, its journey was a long one. The area first belonged to the Sandhofen parish. A vicarage was established in Schönau in 1938, serving both Schönau and Blumenau. After World War II, Schönau became its own parish in 1951 with the Emmauskirche built two years later. Even the Coleman Barracks Garrison Church was temporarily used. The Emmausgemeinde eventually split in 1959 due to population growth. The northern part, including Blumenau, was named Stephanus. The Jonakirche itself was finally approved and built in 1961, designed by architect Helmut Striffler. It wasn’t named Jonakirche until 1997, after the Old Testament prophet. Inside, three narrow windows behind the altar symbolize the Holy Trinity. The altarkruzifix is the work of Fritz Wiedemann, and a fish wall relief was created by Gerhard Dreher. Hartwig Späth’s six-register organ, installed in 2001, fills the space with music. The original exposed concrete has been painted over. The copper roof remains, a testament to the church’s enduring presence. In 2009, the Jonakirche earned its place as a listed cultural monument, a testament to its Brutalist architecture. The church later became part of the Dreieinigkeitsgemeinde in Mannheim-Sandhofen in 2010.