Kreuzkirche (Cottbus)
The Kreuzkirche in the Karlstrasse in the city of Cottbus is a listed sacred building and was built in 1879. It is the place of worship for the Evangelical Lutheran Cross Church Congregation. It belongs to the Lausitz church district of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church .
description
The Kreuzkirche does not have a tower and has no bells because, by decree of the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. , The churches of the Old Lutherans were not visible as such and were not allowed to have bells. The church is a brick building with a large central apse in the form of a basilica , its floor plan is in the shape of a cross and is closed off by a gable roof with a gable on the west side. The corner turrets are crowned with sandstone crosses, as is the gable on the west side, in which the main portal is located. An oculus can also be seen above the portal . It is also worth mentioning that the church hall has a barrel vault with cassettes . The facade of the church is dominated by neo-Romanesque style elements and arched windows with lead glazing.
(Construction) history
The Kreuzkirche is the only large church in Cottbus from the late 19th century. The decision to build the church for this state-independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was made in 1878. After collecting national and international donations, the building could be completed. The foundation stone for the church was laid on May 10, 1878. The plans for this were drawn up by building counselor Abel from Lauban, the execution was carried out by the master mason Wilhelm Schneider and the master carpenter Karl Simon with the assistance of the master mason and carpenter Pötschke from Rothenburg. A year and a half later (at the end of 1879) the church was consecrated under the name Kreuzkirche . The organ, which was installed in 1904, was manufactured by the Heinrich Schlag company. During the Second World War, looting and grenade impacts destroyed the roof, windows and a zygomatic arch of the church. Only the organ, the stalls and the altar remained intact. After laborious repair work by the parishioners, the church was able to be used again from May 15, 1949. Because the roof was still leaking, it was re-covered in the 1960s. A comprehensive renovation in which u. a. the chancel was renewed, then took place in 1979. The iron altar candlesticks, the copper meditation cross, the triumphal cross, the altar table, the baptism and the pulpit were designed by the sculptor Elly-Viola Nahmmacher from Greiz.
From 1999 a thorough renovation took place in two steps.
Exterior renovation:
- Drainage of the foundation
- Grouting of the outer walls
- Renewal of the roof plates
- New covering of the apse roof
- Renewal of the sandstone crowns
- Renewal of the sandstone cross on the gable of the west side
- Repairs to the windows
Interior renovation:
- Repairs to the roof beams and the barrel vault
- New plastering and painting of the wall surfaces
literature
- “Cottbus home calendar” 2004 pp. 71–74
- "Churches in + around Cottbus", Evangelical Church District Cottbus, Kirchlicher Kunstverlag Dresden, 1995
Web links
- Entry in the monument database of the State of Brandenburg
- History of the SELK community
- Renovation of the Kreuzkirche
Coordinates: 51 ° 46 ′ 8 ″ N , 14 ° 20 ′ 7 ″ E