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St. Agnes-Kirche

Berlin, Germany
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The St. Agnes Church is a former Catholic Church building, which was built according to plans by Werner Duttmann and was completed in 1967. Since 2004, no religious services are held there but the building was initially leased to the Evangelical Free Church in the geographic center of Berlin (Cross Continental Believers, City Church). At the end of 2011 it was bought by the St. Agnes property management company and the architectural ensemble which then leased it to the Berlin gallery Johann Konig. By 2013, the building will be remodeled and opened as an exhibition center for emerging artists.

The church was built from 1965 to 1967 from a design by architect Werner Duttmann. The rectangular building complex includes church sacristy, rectory, a Zwischenhof and community center. The bell tower was added to the building by the side of the road as a free-standing Campanile. It is made of solid concrete and has a square base. The simple cubic shaped church receives its light through two-sided, slit windows and skylights in the roof. The high plastered walls rest on recycled bricks form neighboring buildings. A creatively matched granite altar remains tentative, while the church pews and organ have been sold. The church was dedicated to the profanation of St. Agnes whose name the church bears, which the name continues.

Originally belonging to the Church of St. Agnes Catholic Church, the building is available for rent for financial reasons until September 2004. The number of church members had dropped dramatically. Because the money for maintenance or renovation for the building was not existent, many saw the building as endangered. In 2005, the Berlin State Monument had therefore taken the St. Agnes Church, together with eight other churches in a list of suggestions for new monuments. Johann Konig, who has operated an art gallery for a few years in the inner city (Dessauerstrasse), leased the church building. He works with about 20 international artists and wants to organize rotating art exhibitions in the great hall. Prospects for the use of the side rooms of the church are still being sought.

Subsequent uses

By giving up the Church's use of the ensemble commissioned by the Borough Assembly of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, new utilization concepts that would lead to a redevelopment of the church building and the Municipal House were sought. This, however, failed to the end of 2011. Therefore, it could now be the Berlin gallery Johann Konig has won as tenants. He is renovating the church for about 3 million euros, maintaining especially the architecture of the building or even to be produced again. After resurfacing and drainage of cellars, the nave is converted into an art space. The 800-square-foot church will serve as an exhibition hall in 2013. The existing nursery remains unchanged for the moment.

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  1. Wikipedia (German)
slabmag, February 4th, 2018
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