Berlin's religious heritage as a symbol of its diversity

This German cathedral was built between 1780 and 1785 by Carl von Gontard and is in the Baroque style. It is located opposite the French cathedral and was built in the same years as part of a project to redevelop the Gendarmenmarkt commissioned by Frederick II (1440-1472). After being burned down during the Second World War, the German Cathedral was rebuilt between 1983 and 1996, and since then it has housed the exhibition on the history of the German Parliament.

The French cathedral was built in the years 1780-1785 by Carl von Gontard in the Baroque style. The building was constructed at the instigation of Frederick II (1740-1772), who also ordered the construction of the German Cathedral (opposite the French Cathedral) as part of an extensive redevelopment project of the Gendarmenmarkt. After being burned down during the Second World War, the French Cathedral was rebuilt in 1978-1983, true to the original exterior and modern interior. Since then, it has housed the Huguenot Museum.

St. Hedwig Cathedral in Berlin is the Episcopal Church of the Archdiocese of Berlin. Built between 1747 and 1773, St. Hedwig's Cathedral is the first Catholic church constructed after the Reformation in Berlin. After the destruction of the rotunda in an air raid during the Second World War, the cathedral was rebuilt from 1952, the interior was redesigned by the architect Hanns Schwippert.

The Friedrichswerder Church is a simultaneous church, which until 1872 hosted the French Lutheran-Evangelical and Reformed services and then the United Church services until the Second World War. Today it is home to the Schinkel-Museum, one of Berlin's state museums. The church was built between 1824 and 1830 by Schinkel. It was the first neo-Gothic church to be built in Berlin.

The Berlin Cathedral is a protestant church founded in the 16th century. The present building is a third reconstruction in the neo-Renaissance and neo-Baroque styles dating from between 1894 and 1905. After being badly damaged during the Second World War, the exterior of the cathedral was simplified during a renovation completed in 1984 and, until 2002, it was rebuilt inside in keeping with the original style. The Hohenzollern Crypt, located beneath the cathedral, is one of the most important dynastic tombs in Europe.

The Nikolaikirche is the oldest church in Berlin. It dates from the founding of the city around 1230. The building was remodelled several times to accommodate its Gothic choir in 1380 and its typical hall church naves in 1480. Desacralized since 1938, the church now houses the Stadtmuseum Berlin, a museum about the history of the city. The church is also the venue for events, concerts and readings by the Stadtmuseum.

The Parochialkirche is the oldest parish church of the Reformed Community of Berlin, built between 1695 and 1703. The building was initially constructed according to the plans of the architect Johann Arnold Nering, who died on 21 October 1695 before completing his work. Further construction was then supervised by the architect Martin Grünberg. The vault collapsed in on itself on 27 September 1698, delaying the work. The inauguration finally took place on 8 July 1703.

St. Mary's Church is a Lutheran-Evangelical church built in 1250, making it one of the oldest places of worship in the city. After the damage caused by a fire, the parish renovated the tower structure in 1663-1666 according to the plans and under the direction of Michael Mathias Smids in the Baroque style. In the sense of a return to the Gothic style, Hermann Blankenstein commissioned extensive work between 1893 and 1894, which contributed considerably to giving the church its present appearance.

The Sophienkirche is a Protestant church built according to the concept and plans of master builder Philipp Gerlach. The church was built in 1712-13 and was originally consecrated as the 'Spandau church'. It was only under the successor of King Friedrich II (1740-1786) that it was named after Sophie Luise and has since been called Sophienkirche. The baroque church tower was added in 1732-1734 by the master-builder Johann Friedrich Grael. On 13 September 1964, the American civil rights activist Martin Luther King preached in the Sophienkirche during a surprise visit to East Berlin.

The New Synagogue in Berlin was built from 1859 to 1866 designed in an eastern Moorish style by Eduard Knoblauch. The building resembles the Alhambra and is an important architectural monument of the second half of the 19th century in Berlin. The synagogue was miraculously not destroyed by the Nazis, but the army confiscated it for use as a material depot from 1940 onwards. On the night of 23rd November 1943, during an air attack by the Royal Air Force, the synagogue was hit and heavily damaged. Under Soviet occupation, the damaged parts of the building were completely removed in the summer of 1958. Since the 1990s the synagogue has reopened as Centrum Judaicum, a centre of Jewish life in Berlin.