Kreuzkirche (Görlitz)

Kreuzkirche
View of the nave with the distinctive tower
Construction time:	1913-1916
Architect :	Rudolf Bitzan
Space:	1000 people
Tower height:	48 m
Location:	51 ° 8 '26.3 "  N , 14 ° 58' 19.1"  E Coordinates: 51 ° 8 '26.3 "  N , 14 ° 58' 19.1"  E
Address:	Erich-Mühsam-Strasse 1 Goerlitz Saxony , Germany
Purpose:	evangelical church
Local community:	Evangelical Kreuzkirchengemeinde Görlitz
Regional Church :	Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia

The Kreuzkirche is a Protestant church building from the beginning of the 20th century on the outskirts of Görlitzer Südstadt between Arndtstrasse and Reuterstrasse. The architect of the modern church, which was built between 1913 and 1919 (partly also in 1916), was Rudolf Bitzan from Dresden . The Görlitz architect Gerhard Röhr was responsible for the completion . In the monumental sacred building he combined stylistic elements from modernism , art nouveau and neoclassicism . The church forms an architectural unit with the adjoining double parish and parish hall to the southeast.

Description of the structure

The Kreuzkirche was the first church building in the city in which the architect broke away from historical style guidelines, but retained the basic structure. The axial sequence of atrium , tower , nave and altar was preserved. The massive entrance area on the west side below the tower spans the paved street in front of it. Arcades are connected to it.

Steeple

Church tower of the Kreuzkirche

The mighty square tower is interrupted by a high rectangular window below the recessed upper part of the tower. The window is structured by the eponymous cross of Christ . The upper part of the reinforced concrete tower with the bell is characterized by a series of pillars and openings and ends in a simple four-sided copper dome . On the east and west side there is a church tower clock in the middle between the six pillars. From a viewing platform at a height of 38 meters, there is a wonderful panoramic view of the city and, depending on the weather, of the surrounding area. The tower has a total height of 48 meters.

Furnishing

In the interior of the church, the architect decided not to have a vault in favor of a coffered ceiling and stucco consoles and emphasized the strict lines of the pillars and girders. Significant names from the Bible , church history, culture, science and politics can be read on the stucco consoles below the ceiling . The deep galleries on the north and south sides of the nave underline the hall character of the interior of the church . The vestibule, also known as the bridal hall , rises above an elliptical floor plan and is spanned by a richly painted ceiling with Art Nouveau shapes. The entire equipment still comes from the building era.

The ironwork on the outer doors and the glazing of the porch doors as well as the design of the windows with flower and cross ornaments, the electric hanging chandelier and the font cover are remarkable works of the arts and crafts of that time.

Web links

Commons : Kreuzkirche  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Evangelical Kreuzkirche Görlitz
• kkvsol.net: Evangelical Kreuzkirche Görlitz

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Ernst Heinz Lemper: Görlitz. A historical topography . 2nd Edition. Oettel-Verlag, Görlitz 2009, ISBN 3-932693-63-9 , p. 221 f .
2. ^ ^{A b} Peter Mitsching: Friedrich Paul Gerhard Röhr . Architect of Görlitz. Ed .: City administration Görlitz, monument protection authority. Görlitz 2011, ISBN 978-3-00-035627-8 , pp. 141 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e} kkvsol.net: Evangelical Kreuzkirche Görlitz . (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on August 29, 2012 ; Retrieved April 9, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ ^{a b c} denkmalschutz.de: Ev. Kreuzkirche . (PDF; 94 kB) Retrieved April 9, 2012 .