St Nicholas Church, Berlin: Where history, religion, art abide

Maybe some level of aesthetics but definitely not a ‘store house’ for the nation’s history in form of paintings, sculptures, architectural styles, trends of an era or masters of that time. Even where these exist, they are mostly in remote areas and not readily accessible to visitors from even within the country. They are not […]

Maybe some level of aesthetics but definitely not a ‘store house’ for the nation’s history in form of paintings, sculptures, architectural styles, trends of an era or masters of that time.
Even where these exist, they are mostly in remote areas and not readily accessible to visitors from even within the country. They are not identified on Nigeria’s tourism maps (if any such document exists), be it at the state or federal level as destinations to be visited.
Before leaving for Berlin, this reporter had researched on places she would like to visit and Berlin’s oldest church was in the top three. A simple ‘Berlin oldest church’ search on Google provided more information than she bargained for that she had to stop the search in order not to spoil the expected thrill of such a visit.
Built between 1220 and 1230, Berlin’s oldest church, St Nicholas, was originally a Roman Catholic church, and later became a Lutheran church after the Protestant Reformation in the Electorate of Brandenburg in 1539.
According to records, on Reformation Day in 1938 (October 31) the church building served its congregation for the last time. “Then the building, the oldest structure in Berlin proper, was given up to the government, to be used as a concert hall and ecclesiastical museum.
“The number of parishioners had shrunk due to the ever intensifying commercialisation of the inner city with residential premises being superseded by offices and shops. The congregation later merged with that of the Church of Our Lady,” information by the museum indicates.
During World War II, the church lost the tops of its towers and the roof to fire as a result of Allied bombing, while its vaults and the northern pillars collapsed in 1949. According to the tour guide, the ruins were in East Berlin, and it was not until 1981 that the East German Democratic Republic government authorised the rebuilding of the church, using old designs and plans.
Information at the museum says: “The Church of St. Nicholas as seen today is largely a reconstruction. Today the church serves again mainly as a museum and occasionally as a concert venue, administered by the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin (Landesmuseum für Kultur und Geschichte Berlins). It is renowned for its acoustics and the rebuilt church has been equipped with a fine set of 41 bells.”
For a long time, the oldest church in Berlin did not exist. The 1944/45 bombing raid and battle left it badly damaged followed by looting and destruction after World War II.
The reconstruction was completed between 1982 and 1987 with its original stones which had been preserved and numbered. The history of the church can be read from its stones and epitaphs and several other relics at the edifice.
According to information posted at the museum, there are many different shaped bricks from various ribbed vaults and jamb stones, sections of windows and doors from the early and late Gothic aisled churches. These also include leftover pieces of Baroque glass windows and door knobs as well as the large clock face from one of the clocks on the mediaeval southern tower, which was removed in 1877 during a complete overhaul of the church.
Pieces of tombs as well as figures of saints, on display in the church that used to adorned a Gothic altar and remnants of pews also bear witness to the life and times of the church.
The tour guide informed that originally the western wall of the southern aisle was covered by a large wall painting showing a scene of the last judgment said to have been painted in the 14th century for the preceding nave building. “After the destruction the painting was exposed to the elements so that today, most of the design is lost, apart from a small fragment showing the succession of the blessed into paradise,” the guide says.
More than 100 different type cast tiles were needed for the construction of the church. The originals salvaged from the rubble served as model. According to form and use, they were designated as stones for window, doorjamb, support ribbed, cornice, decorative to traverse arches, as well as tracery stonework.
Tombstones and epitaphs like those of Caritas (1554 – 1615), wife of Privy Councillor, Johann von Kotteritz (1534-1609) donated by their sons Johann and Godefred and their daughter Elisabeth, tell their own side of the church’s history.
Works attributed to Saxony-born sculptor and medal-engraver, Hans Schenck (1500 – 1566) aka Scheußlich and head sculptor during the construction of the Berlin Renaissance palace and those of others like him, adorn the museum.
Remains from fragments of a sandstone tablet relief show the adoration of the shepherds and the angels’ hymn of praise at Christ’s birth.
The pulpit as visitors see it now once stood in the Franciscan Monastery Church in Berlin and was built in 1662. The church’s original pulpit was severely damaged in the World War II and was reconstructed from hundreds of original fragments and newly carved pieces.
Some of the fragments belong to the Protestant parish of St. Peter and St. Mary, which kindly allowed them to be used in this reconstruction. The pulpit, in keeping with Dutch carving style, was never painted and is typical in its design of the Baroque era with protruding ornaments and amorphous.
The baptismal font, which is the first ornament that welcomes visitors into the building as it did, parishioners several years ago, into the fold, was made to resemble a chalice, in 1563 by Saxon tinsmith Stephan Lichtenhahn and his apprentice Paul Hermann.  The font sits on a wooden pedestal, which used to be surrounded by a wooden gate whose access was via a small door. It was in the church until 1939 by which time it was severely damaged. The remaining pieces were removed and stored in at various locations. In 1996 the broken piece was loaned to the Berlin City Museum Foundation and later restored and returned to its original place in the subsequent years.
A 19th century portrait of Superintendent Philipp Jacob Spener, who from 1686 was senior court chaplain, one of the highest ranking positions in the German Protestant church, reveals artists’ techniques and styles in that era in the oil on canvass piece.
Preserved treasures include a 16th century altar bells, a 1493 Psalter from the Zinna Monsatery, an 18th century old collection box from the Orphan’s Church in Berlin and a 17th century collection box from St Nicholas church amongst others.
Initially intended for the purpose of workshop, St Nicholas church is one of Berlin’s landmarks visited by thousands annually.
Exploiting its tourism benefits to the fullest, visitors can only take photos from the ticketing point. If any wishes to take closer shot photos, it is at the cost of N418.48 (2 euros).