Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche)
The Basics
The remains of Kaiser Wilhelm Church are now an open memorial filled with sculptures, mosaics, and informational panels about the church and the war. The new church adjacent to the memorial hosts choral and organ recitals as well as evening services.
Tours of Berlin, including walking and bike tours as well as shore excursions, typically explore the Charlottenburg area and include a stop at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church to discuss the impacts of World War II on Berlin and Germany.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is a must-visit for WWII history buffs.
There are no entrance fees to visit the church.
Free 30-minute tours, offered by arrangement, cover the history of the church from its construction to the present day.
Both the old and the modern churches are accessible to wheelchair users.
How to Get There
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is located between the Kurfürstendamm and Zoologischer Garten U-bahn stations. You can also take bus 100 or 200 to the Breitscheidplatz stop.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
The church is open from 9am to 7pm daily, while the memorial hall is open from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 5:30pm Sunday. In general, the best times to visit Berlin are the spring (though it’s quite rainy, especially in May and June) and summer, especially for the legendary Love Parade in July. It’s quieter in the fall and winter, when temperatures and rates drop.
Origins of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
The original Kaiser Wilhelm Church was built in the late 1800s to commemorate Germany’s first emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm I. Designed by Franz Schwechten in the neo-Romantic style, it featured five spires, reflecting the opulent style of the era and the kaiser. The church also housed the second-largest church bells in Germany (after Cologne), before they were melted down for munitions during World War II.
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- Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm)
- Berlin Zoo and Aquarium
- Photography Museum (Museum für Fotografie)
- KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens)
- Bauhaus Archive Museum of Design (Bauhaus-Archiv Museum für Gestaltung)
- Berlin Victory Column (Siegessäule)
- Tiergarten Park
- Schwules Museum (Gay Museum)
- Wintergarten Berlin
- Art Library (Kunstbibliothek)
- German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
- MACHmit! Museum for Children (Kindermuseum MachtMit)
- Gemälde Gallery (Gemaeldegalerie)
- Kulturforum
- Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum)