Monument to the Church of St. Nikolai

A glass elevator takes visitors to the spire of St. Nikolai's Church - the fifth tallest church steeple in the world. At 76 meters, the gothic cathedral still cuts across the city's skyline like its brief heyday when it was ranked as the tallest building in the world. What remains of the church below, empty today, speaks to the devastation of World War II.

The first chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, was erected in the 12th century on the banks of the River Alster. Later, the wooden chapel became a large brick and stone church, which lasted until the mid-19th century, when, during the great fire of 1842, St. Nikolai's church was the first major public building. burnt. Immediately after the fire, the people of Hamburg began a fundraising campaign to rebuild the church. After an architectural competition, the new church was designed in the neo-Gothic style by British architect, George Gilbert Scott. Construction began in 1846 and ended in 1874 with the completion of the 147.4-meter spire, at which point St. Nikolai Church became the tallest building in the world.

In the last week of July 1943, in the midst of World War II, the British Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force participated in a series of air raids known as Operation Gomorrah, which left most of the city center and residential areas. The surrounding settlements were destroyed. Although the church has been demolished, the spire, still the tallest in Hamburg, is still relatively intact.

Today, the ruins of the Church of St. Nikolai makes for an impressive memorial, and the church's crypt contains a newly remodeled museum, dedicated to World War II, the disastrous European air war, and its victims. The museum speaks to the impact of wars both past and present through interactive images, audio and video. The permanent exhibition “Gomorrah 1943: The Destruction of Hamburg by Air Warfare” (Gomorrah 1943: Hamburg's Destruction through Aerial Warfare) provides an impressive overview of the historical context leading up to the air raids. into Hamburg, fire storms and years of recovery.

Address: Willy-Brandt-Straße 60, 20457 Hamburg

Visiting hours: Thursday - Tuesday: 10:00 - 18:00 (Closed on Wednesdays)