Like the Pantheon in Rome
St. Hedwig's Cathedral is the most important Roman Catholic house of worship in Berlin. Since the founding of the diocese of Berlin in 1930, it has served as the seat of the bishop in Friedrichstadt, bearing the honourary title of a Papal Basilica.
At the same time, St. Hedwig's Cathedral is the first post-Reformation Catholic church to have been built in Berlin. It was built between 1747 and 1773 under Frederick II. According to his plans and plans drawn up by GW Knobelsdorff, Johann Boumann the Elder carried out the construction work. The patrocinium is a reference to the Catholic Silesians.
After being destroyed in the war in 1943 and being rebuilt between 1952 and 1963, the original, neo-classical building which resembles the Pantheon in Rome now has a modern interior and consists of an upper and lower church with eight different chapels. The dome is an architectural masterpiece, being composed of 84 reinforced concrete segments.
The simple and unconventional, centred spatial concept by Prof. Hans Schwippert is also noteworthy. Modern art, historic wooden sculptures and the impressive hanging organ made by the firm Klais accentuate the sacred space. The Cathedral is also home to a small collection of liturgical vestments and objects.
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