St. Anne's Church

The foundations of St. Anne's Church, also known as Dahlem Village Church, were laid in the Middle Ages.

There are numerous village churches in and around Berlin. They were built in the former villages during the colonization phase until around 1300. The most elaborate old village church, called St. Anne's Church (German: Sankt-Annen-Kirche), is in Berlin Dahlem. In Berlin, the church is best known as Dorfkirche Dahlem.

Dahlem Village Church: foundations from the 13th century

Thanks to its proximity to the Dahlem museum complex and the Domäne Dahlem, St. Anne's Church is one of the more frequently visited village churches. The foundations of the village church probably date back to the 13th century. The church was originally built as a simple hall with a wooden beam ceiling made of fieldstones. The apse was probably built in 1270, and it was not until the end of the 15th century that the village church was extended with a choir and crypt. At the beginning of the 16th century, the nave was vaulted to the height of the choir.

War damage

During the Thirty Years' War, St. Anne's Church in Dahlem was damaged. However, the building itself and a large part of the roof were preserved. In the 1670s, the landowner Cuno Hans von Willmersdorf had the war damage repaired. A gallery was built in the church and a wooden pulpit was donated. The tower was also rebuilt, albeit in a different form. This was erected again in 1781, albeit in a modified form. Between 1832 and 1849, the tower served as a relay station for the Berlin-Koblenz telegraph line. The church was renovated in 1905 and the following year. The crypt was converted into a sacristy and the south door was bricked up. An organ was also installed in the gallery. St. Anne's Church was damaged a second time during the Second World War. The tower and the belfry were hit by gunfire. The roof and the church windows were destroyed by a grenade. The church in Dahlem was restored by 1953. Since then, the roof has been in the shape of a pyramid.

Art in St. Anne's Church

At the end of the 19th century, old frescoes were discovered on the nave walls inside the church. They are among the oldest paintings in Berlin. They have been restored several times and show scenes from the life of Christ and St. Anne. The altar shrine, which was created around 1500 and features colorfully painted and gilded figures of saints, shows St. Anne the Third, the mother of Mary, at its center. The modern crucifixion sculpture by Berlin sculptor Bernhard Heiliger was originally intended for the newly built Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. However, it was rejected by the parish council and found its place in the Annenkirche instead.

Information

• Address:
  Pacelliallee 61
  14195 Berlin
  City map
• Phone: [phone]
• Internet: kg-dahlem.de (in German)
• Opening Hours: St. Anne's Church is usually open on Saturdays and Sundays between 12 noon and 2 p.m.
• Admission Fee:
  Free