The Erlöserkirche (Church of the Redeemer) in Potsdam was built between 1896 and 1898 based on designs by church building officer Gotthilf Ludwig Möckel in the Neo-Gothic style.
The proud, 74-meter-high tower of the Evangelical Erlöserkirche rises like a needle from the closed Jugendstil buildings of the Brandenburg suburbs and can be seen from the Sanssouci Park. Its sonorous bells include two large bronze bells cast in 1939, originally from the Garnisonkirche, which escaped being melted down for armaments production.
The octagonal central building is extended by side aisles with galleries and a nave with an organ gallery. The type of vaulting used allowed for a large span with relatively low ceiling height, creating excellent acoustics.
Severely damaged in the last days of World War II in 1945, the most important restoration work was completed by 1947, allowing services to be held in the church once again. Since 1964, when a new Schuke organ with three manuals and pedals was inaugurated, the Erlöserkirche has developed into an important venue for church music performances. The instrument has 37 stops, and its sound character is dedicated to the baroque ideal of the "Organ Movement."
Every year, the International Organ Summer takes place in the Erlöserkirche, as well as in the Friedenskirche and the French Church, each time under a different theme. Here, visitors can experience the fantastic sounds of various performers.
Links
Address
Erlöserkirche
Nansenstraße
14471 Potsdam
Germany
