Berlin – This is Saint Hedwig Catholic Cathedral

You may know that the Berliner Dom, a building that stands out for its large dome, is the protestant cathedral de Berlin. But do you know that in the German capital, and very close to the previous one, you have the Catholic cathedral?

In your Berlin visit, one of the areas where you will see the greatest concentration of monuments is Bebelplazt, in the area known as Forum Fredericianum, almost where the great Unter der Linten avenue runs alongside the Museum island.

Precisely one of the neoclassical buildings of this monumental area is the Berlin Catholic Cathedral.

Known as the St. Hedwig's Cathedral (St Edwige), it will be very easy for you to recognize the building because its design emulates the famous Agrippa Pantheon in Rome.

The Catholic cathedral building was Built in 1773, and became the second of the monuments in the aforementioned Forum Fredericianum area. Located at the bottom of the Bebelplatz, is dedicated to the patron saint of Silesia and Brandenburg, Saint Hedwig of Andechs.

With its façade of unmistakable neoclassical style, its large dome with a striking green roof, and the characteristic Greek-style circular floor plan, this monument was the only Catholic church in Berlin until the mid-19th century.

In fact, the Prussian king Frederick II the Great, its promoter, wanted this church to be the reflection of religious freedom.

You should know that the St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Berlin It became a center of opposition and denunciation of Nazism. In fact, after the sad event of the night of the Broken Glass, its canon prayed the next day in memory of the murdered Jews.

Father Lichtenberg, which was his name, was arrested and in 1943 he died on the way to the Dachau concentration camp. Currently his remains are in the crypt of the church.

Of course, when you visit the St. Hedwig's Cathedral, you will see a building completely rebuilt during the period from 1952 to 1963, since it was destroyed during the Second World War.

The new dome has a more reinforced concrete structure than the original, and eight new chapels were incorporated.