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Landmark

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

โ˜… 4.6 (26,029)Free

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz was gutted by Allied bombing in 1943, and rather than demolish or fully rebuild it, postwar Berlin chose to preserve the shattered old tower โ€” nicknamed the 'hollow tooth' โ€” as a permanent anti-war memorial, adding a strikingly modern hexagonal church of blue glass mosaic alongside it in the 1960s. Inside the old tower a small museum displays surviving mosaics and photographs of the original neo-Romanesque interior, while the new sanctuary's glass walls create a quiet, luminous space that feels entirely different from the ruin outside. It's free to enter and quick to visit, though reviewers note the climb to the viewing platform demands some stamina. Sitting at the heart of the Breitscheidplatz shopping district, it works well as a short, thought-provoking stop between errands or shopping on the Ku'damm.

โœจ Reasons to go

  • 1The bombed-out tower, nicknamed the 'hollow tooth', was deliberately left in ruins after 1943 as a permanent anti-war memorial rather than being rebuilt or demolished.
  • 2A modern hexagonal church made of blue glass mosaic was added alongside the ruin in the 1960s, creating a stark contrast between old and new.
  • 3A small museum inside the old tower displays surviving mosaics and photographs showing the original neo-Romanesque interior before its destruction.

๐Ÿ’ก Good to know

  • 1Entry to the church and ruined tower is free, though the tower's upper viewing area involves a steep climb
  • 2visit around dusk when the blue glass mosaic glows from the interior lighting
  • 3it sits right next to the Christmas market square, making December visits especially atmospheric.

โฑ๏ธ Typical visit

30 min

๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ Best time

morning, afternoon or early evening

๐Ÿšถ Walking intensity

Easy pace

๐Ÿ“

Address

Breitscheidplatz, 10789 Berlin, Germany ยท BerlinGoogleApple
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Booking

Walk-in

What people say

"It is a unique look at what was and still is a beautiful church building. With an intriguing alteration due to the bombings during the war. Inside is a small museum display on details of the buildings history. It's free to enter and worth the visit in my opinion. The adjoining tower was basically veiled in construction so I could not enjoy that. But the church itself is still worth it."

โ€” Henry