Reflecting the architectural style of an early Christian basilica, St. Jacobi-Kirche stands as a testament to history. Today we explore its story. This church faced destruction and has been rebuilt. It is a landmark with a rich past.
St. Jacobi-Kirche is located on Oranienstrasse in Berlin-Kreuzberg. It was built in 1844 and 1845. The church was originally known as Neue Louisenstadtkirche. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV named it St. Jacobi-Kirche. This was in reference to the Jakobs-Hospital. The hospital was an old people’s home. It belonged to the Petri-Gemeinde on Alte Jakobstrasse. This street was the oldest in the new parish.
In the 1840s, Oranienstrasse was a developing suburb. The St. Jacobi parish was formed in 1843. It separated from the Luisenstadt parish. This division happened after much struggle. The growing population made it necessary.
Pastor Bachmann led the church building association in 1843. They wanted to build on Waldeckplatz. However, the Petri parish did not allow it. The association bought land with King Friedrich Wilhelm IV’s money. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on July 2, 1844. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV attended. The church’s shell was completed on November 23, 1844. Bishop Daniel Amadeus Neander dedicated it on October 5, 1845.
Friedrich August Stüler designed St. Jacobi-Kirche. He was the head of the Prussian building authority. Gustav Holtzmann oversaw the construction. The church features a three-aisled basilica. It has a campanile on the northwest corner. There is an atrium and connecting arcades. Symmetrical buildings stand on the street side. A parsonage was built in 1859. A preacher’s house followed in 1865 and 1866.
Inside St. Jacobi-Kirche, columns once supported the main nave. Corinthian and Doric columns stood above and below the galleries. Bible verses adorned the interior walls. The apse featured a blue starry sky. Renovations occurred in 1882 and 1906. The pews were reoriented.
The apse held the altar. An oil painting was framed by an arch. A colorful mosaic depicted Jesus with the apostles. Emil Hopfgarten created a sandstone sculpture for the atrium. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV gifted it in 1845.
On February 3, 1945, an Allied air raid damaged the church. Only the residential buildings, tower, and atrium remained. Services were held in a temporary church from 1947 to 1957. Reconstruction began in 1953. The restored church was consecrated in April 1957.
Architects Paul and Jürgen Emmerich simplified the interior. The galleries were removed. The arcades were lowered. The mosaic of Christ was preserved in the apse.
In 1981, the St. Jacobi parish merged with the Luisenstadt parish. In 2013, the Melanchthon, Simeon, and Jacobi churches united. They formed the Evangelical Church in Kreuzberg-Mitte. A pilgrim center opened in St. Jacobi-Kirche on August 1, 2021.
Johann Friedrich Schulze built the original organ in 1845. It had 32 registers. E. Kemper & Sohn rebuilt it in 1928. The organ was destroyed in 1945. E. F. Walcker & Cie. built the current organ in 1959.
The St. Jacobi-Kirche has seen many changes throughout its history. From its royal beginnings to its wartime destruction and careful reconstruction, it remains a testament to the enduring spirit of Berlin and its community.