Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche review

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is one of Berlin's best-known sights, and one of its most dramatic at night. The neo-Romanesque structure was built in 1891-5 by Franz Schwechten in honour of - you guessed it - Kaiser Wilhelm I. Much of the building was destroyed during an Allied air raid in 1943. These days the church serves as a stark reminder of the damage done by the war, although some might argue it improved what was originally a profoundly ugly building.

Inside the rump of the church is a glittering art nouveau-style ceiling mosaic depicting members of the House of Hohenzollern going on pilgrimage towards the cross. Here you'll also find a cross made from the nails from the destroyed cathedral at Coventry, and photos of the church before and after the war. Inside the chapel the wrap-around blue stained-glass in the windows is quite stunning.