Church of St. Nicolai

The present church building by Friedrich-August Stüler from 1864/1866 was pre-dated by several previous structures. In 1658/1663, Electress Louise Henriette ordered the extension of the small church built in 1634 to make it into a prestigious cruciform church. The new design submitted by Stüler in 1857 included a three-nave gallery basilica with seven axes and a semicircular apse. The Italianised west tower and the semicircular apse are typical of many Stüler churches, but not the pillar hall in front of the central portal, which is decorated with a head of Christ after Albert Wolff and small angels’ heads in terracotta.
The church was badly damaged during a bombing raid on March 6, 1944. On April 25, 1945, it burned downed completely for unknown reasons. Reconstruction was carried out gradually.

The installation of a ceiling created an upper church with organ loft and side rooms. In the lower church, a festive hall was installed with further adjoining rooms.

Due to the simple gable roof and the profane design of the north side, the church has lost its charisma as a basilica.

Bruno Metzler’s triptych “Wende-Altar” has decorated the rear wall (organ loft) since 1995 – this is the dominant impression which tends to linger when you leave the church.