Galilee Church (Aachen)

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Church of Galilee

The Galilee Church in Aachen is a Protestant church in the west of Aachen that was consecrated in 2018 (Vaalser Str. 349). It is an ensemble of sacred buildings and community rooms. The name refers to the Sea of ​​Galilee , on the banks of which Jesus of Nazareth appeared in public.

prehistory

As part of the “ Future in Dialogue ” process, two Aachen municipal districts were merged. The two community centers Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus and Arche were sold or offered for sale. A new church was to be built for the approximately 4,700 members of the merged parish districts from the proceeds as well as own funds and reserves. The construction costs amounted to 5.2 million euros.

Architecture competition

Interior of the Galilee Church Aachen 2018
Bell tower of the Galilee Church Aachen 2018

Eleven entries were submitted for a design competition. In 2012, the jury decided in favor of the design by Weinmiller Architekten BDA from Berlin .

Weinmiller Architects designed a church interior without windows, which is illuminated by the light coming in from above through shafts and skylights. They used elements of the classical church building and translated them into light. The architect Gesine Weinmiller explained the concept as follows: “There is a main nave, the upper aisle , the side aisles and the apse . ... However, all these components are illuminated indirectly, so that a very special light atmosphere is created. The visitor to the church is surrounded by diffuse light and a spatial impression is created that he does not know. This reformulation of the sacred space was a basic concern of the concept. "

The community center also follows a classic concept of Christian architecture. The individual rooms are accessed from a cloister . In the center there is an inner courtyard.

Construction and inauguration

Construction work began in January 2017, and the foundation stone was laid in April. Pastor Mario Meyer and Pastor Bettina Donath-Kreß symbolically walled a time capsule. It contained a Luther Bible from 2017, a USB stick with the digital Bible text, the current edition of the Aachener Zeitung as well as two Bible verses and a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer . The topping-out ceremony was celebrated on September 1st.

Bells

In March 2018, the two bells were hung in the separate tower of the church. They were cast in the Mark-Maas bell foundry in Brockscheid in November 2017:

  • The larger bell strikes f ', is 112 cm in diameter and weighs around 680 kg. Engraved on it is a verse from Psalm 96 : “Sing a new song to the Lord. Shout out to the Lord all the world. "
  • The smaller bell has the chime of '. It has a diameter of 74 cm and a weight of about 215 kg. Its inscription reads: “Peace be with you. Peace for all time. "

Opening service

On Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 2018, a festive divine service was held to mark the opening of the Church of Galilee. The sermon was delivered by Manfred Rekowski , President of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b Parish inaugurates the newly built church. In: idea. May 29, 2018, accessed December 3, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Topping- out ceremony on the shell of the Evangelical Galilee Church in Aachen. In: Evangelical Church District Aachen. September 1, 2017, accessed December 3, 2018 .
  3. The first bell in the new Church of Galilee. In: Aachener Nachrichten. March 22, 2018, accessed December 3, 2018 .

Coordinates: 50 ° 46 '8.7 "  N , 6 ° 2' 50.9"  E