Judas Thaddeus Church

The listed hall church Judas-Thaddäus in Berlin's Tempelhof district was built in 1959 according to the plans of the architect Reinhard Hofbauer. It is the last remaining church of the architect in Berlin (St. Canisius: burnt down, St. Johannes Capristran: demolished) and therefore has a special monument value.

The parabolic church, cast in concrete, is composed of four arcs and four straight sections. Staggered wall sections, interrupted by window strips, lead to the chancel, which closes in a curve. A roof that rises and falls flatly covers the church.

The interior is thus an outstanding example of German post-war architecture and with its parabolic design makes explicit reference to the church building discussion after the First World War.

The 42-metre-high bell tower rises above a triangular ground plan and towers above the surrounding residential area with a massive concrete cross. Using materials typical of the period, such as mosaic, glass, terrazzo and concrete, the architect succeeded in creating a carefully staged sequence of small and large rooms.

1. Construction phase: Tower
2. Construction phase: Roof
3. Construction phase: Windows