Getting there, the room and what to wear
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Concert: getting there
How to reach the Gedächtniskirche on Breitscheidplatz, where the entrance and the ramps are, what the room is like inside and what to wear for the concert.
Reserve your seat for the concert ↗Quick answer
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stands on Breitscheidplatz in Berlin's City West. The church names Kurfürstendamm U-Bahn station and Zoologischer Garten S- and U-Bahn station as its connections. The main entrance is on the east wall of the octagon, facing the old tower, and ramps on the east and south sides give step-free access. There is no set dress code, and a layer you can remove is sensible.
Getting to the church
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Square | Breitscheidplatz |
| U-Bahn | Kurfürstendamm |
| S- and U-Bahn | Zoologischer Garten |
| Entrance | East wall, facing the ruin |
Where the church stands
The church stands on Breitscheidplatz, which with the Kurfürstendamm marks the centre of former West Berlin and of today's City West. The ensemble stands on a raised podium: the octagonal church to the west, the old tower in the middle, and a bell tower and chapel to the east. You see the ruined tower first from most directions, with the low glass octagon beside it. Berliners have nicknamed the pair the lipstick and the powder box, for the octagonal church and its taller bell tower, and the old tower is der hohle Zahn, the hollow tooth. Your confirmation gives the meeting details for your date, so keep it open on your phone.
By U-Bahn and S-Bahn
The church's own visit page names two connections: the U-Bahn station Kurfürstendamm, and the S-Bahn and U-Bahn station Zoologischer Garten. It also lists a long string of bus routes that serve the square. From a hotel elsewhere in Berlin, put Breitscheidplatz into the transport planner and let it find the current route, because lines and timetables change. Allow extra time on the way, since the concert asks you to arrive ahead of the start, and check the planner for the trip back as well.
Roadworks and closures
The church warns on its visit page that roads around the building are sometimes closed and tells visitors to check the current situation. A taxi or a rental car can be held up, and a diversion can add minutes to a trip that is usually quick. Underground and rail routes avoid most of that, which is one reason to prefer them for an evening concert. Leave a margin, and count on walking the last stretch across the square.
Finding the entrance
The church says the main entrance is on the east wall of the octagon, opposite the tower ruin. A steel canopy slopes up over the door and points towards the ruin, so the entrance is easy to recognise. Inside the door is a small lobby before the nave itself, with two tall cobalt-blue majolica vases that Eiermann designed. If you are unsure which door to use on the evening, look for the other guests walking towards that side of the podium and follow the signs the church puts up for events.
Step-free access
Per the church, two ramps give step-free access to the podium, one on the east side and one on the south. It recommends the ramp by the chapel in the eastern part of the ensemble, near the World Fountain (the Weltbrunnen) in front of the Europa-Center, because it has a gentler slope. The church is reached on the level from the western part of the podium, and the second ramp, on the Kurfürstendamm side, leads directly to it. The booking page marks the concert wheelchair accessible.
Hearing and seating
The church has no induction loop for hearing aids, for technical reasons, and recommends sitting near a loudspeaker. The room is set with single chairs, which Eiermann designed, rather than with pews. The booking page lists one adult ticket without seat categories. Arriving ahead of the start time, as the page asks, lets you settle in and look at the glass before the music begins.
Inside the room
The nave is eight-sided, about 35 metres across and roughly 20 metres high, and its walls are blue glass in concrete honeycomb. The church describes stepping inside as being enveloped by deep blue, with the bustle of the square suddenly far away. The wall you see from inside is not the one you see from outside, because the church is built with two walls and a narrow passage between them. The floor is a mosaic of round ceramic and concrete plates in blues, turquoise, white, terracotta and grey. Above the altar a figure of the resurrected Christ by Karl Hemmeter hangs on two thin steel cables from the ceiling, and the altar carries twelve candlesticks that Eiermann designed.
What to wear
No set dress code is set, so dress as you would for any evening out in Berlin: a coat for the trip and a lighter layer for the hall. The hall is tall and glazed, and some guests mention that it can feel warm, so a layer that comes off is a safer choice than a heavy coat. Comfortable shoes help, because you will walk across the square and the church podium on the way in.
Light, glass and the time of day
The church notes that the interior is deep blue in daylight because of the outer wall's glass, and that lamps in the passage between the walls make the building glow in blue tones after dusk; the lamps were once spotlights and are now small LEDs that switch on at dusk. A concert that starts while it is still light lets you see the walls at their deepest. A later one lets you see the lit church from the square afterwards. The booking calendar shows each date's start time, so use it to choose, and check the programme shown too.
Works on the church
The church is in a long renovation programme that its own site dates from 2016 to 2029, covering the concrete honeycomb and glass facades, the building services and the tower exhibition. It states that services, concerts, events and tours continue throughout. Scaffolding on the bell tower or the facade may change what you see outside, and the memorial hall in the old tower has been announced as closed for works. Check the church's visit page if you want to see the hall. The foundation also plans a renewed exhibition in the tower once the works are done, so what is open will keep changing.
Who this isn't for
If you need a cool room, a range of seat categories or a restaurant under the same roof, this venue will not fit. It is also not a guided visit: the church offers its own tours, and the memorial hall may be closed. If you cannot manage a ramp and a short walk across a podium, read the church's access page before booking. And if getting around central Berlin in the evening stresses you, choose an earlier date.
Frequently asked questions
Which station is closest to the Memorial Church?
The church names the U-Bahn station Kurfürstendamm and the S- and U-Bahn station Zoologischer Garten as its connections. Many bus routes also serve Breitscheidplatz, so ask a journey planner for the current route from your hotel and for the way back after the concert.
Which door do I use?
Its main entrance is on the east wall of the octagon, opposite the tower ruin, under a steel canopy that points towards the ruin. A small lobby lies between the door and the nave.
Can I reach the church without steps?
Yes. The church says two ramps lead onto its podium, one on the east side and one on the south. It recommends the gentler ramp by the chapel near the World Fountain in front of the Europa-Center, and the second ramp on the Kurfürstendamm side also leads straight to the church.
Does the church have a hearing loop?
No. The church says it has no induction loop for technical reasons and suggests sitting near a loudspeaker if you use a hearing aid.
What should I wear to the concert?
No set dress code applies. Wear something comfortable and bring a layer, because some guests find the tall, glazed hall warm.
Can the area around the church be closed?
The church says roads around it are sometimes closed and asks visitors to check the current traffic information. Rail routes avoid most of that, so they are the safer way to reach the square on a concert evening.
Sources
- Gedächtniskirche Berlin: getting there (the church's own site)
- Gedächtniskirche Berlin: accessibility (the church's own site)
- Gedächtniskirche Berlin: the church room (the church's own site)
- Gedächtniskirche Berlin: the double wall (the church's own site)
- Gedächtniskirche Berlin: renovation 2016 to 2029 (the church's own site)
- Breitscheidplatz (Wikipedia)
- Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Wikipedia)