Summer often means long journeys on the highways. In northern European countries the main roads are dotted with Road Churches, a network of churches open to truckers and holidaymakers passing through. In Germany, more than anywhere else, Road Churches have been given a special architecture, which these examples illustrate.
The motorway chapel Gramschatzer Wald is an ecumenical ‘road church’ located east of the Gramschatzer Wald junction of the Federal Motorway 7. The chapel was planned and built by the Regensburg architect Haymo Ruscheinsky. The prayer room was consecrated in 2015. The furniture is completely made of wood. The Regensburg painter Ralf Peinl designed the interior walls of exposed concrete with signs of death and resurrection.
The motorway church in Windach on the A 96 is a tent-shaped church. The construction by the Munich architect Josef Wiedemann serves primarily as a parish church. The simultaneous use as a motorway church was an obvious choice due to its proximity to the A 96 motorway. Inside, the light wood panelling of the roof creates a warm atmosphere. At the centre of the dodecagonal floor plan is the altar, around which chairs are arranged in a circle.
The Motorway Chapel of Hegau (officially Emmauskapelle) is located in the service area of Hegau West near Engen on the Federal Highway 81 from Stuttgart to the south. Instead of the original, too expensive dome model by the Hungarian architect Imre Makovecz, the project by the Ravensburg architect Wolf R. Bürhaus was selected in an architectural competition. The complex consists of a high cross, an inner courtyard and a parallelepiped-shaped chapel. Access to the chapel is via a narrow inner passage.
The Siegerland motorway church, located on the B45, was inaugurated on 26 May 2013. The building, a multi-award-winning design by Frankfurt architects Schneider + Schumacher, is an example of post-modern religious architecture. The design of the church exterior is based on geometric triangular shapes. In the entrance area of the church, there is a typographic installation by Peter Zizka.
The Motorway Church of Medenbach is a church located on the service area of Medenbach-West on the A 3 Cologne-Frankfurt motorway. The church was designed by the Hessian architect Hans Waechter and was consecrated on 30 March 2001. The motorway church is designed as a low building made of lightweight exposed concrete, surrounded by arcades and courtyard walls. The chapel has exposed brick masonry inside and out.
How is Religiana helping to conserve and promote Religious Heritage in Europe and why should you get involved?
Find out about Religiana
Are you a tourism organisation or religious heritage sites manager? Discover the advantages of becoming a partner.
See current partners
We can keep you up to date with the latest news from Religiana and religious heritage conservation across Europe.
Sign up to the FRH newsletter