Friedenskirche, Church building in Karlsruhe, Germany.
The Friedenskirche is a church building in Karlsruhe featuring an unusual tent-shaped wooden structure. Inside, the space accommodates around 300 people and is supplemented by a tower added in 1962 that contains the sacristy and other functional areas.
The church building was erected in 1949 under the direction of Otto Bartning to address housing shortages and the spiritual needs of the population following World War II. Its construction was part of a reconstruction program designed to quickly and affordably create new gathering places for displaced and homeless communities.
The church was built to serve the spiritual needs of the post-war community and displays a deliberately plain, functional design. Its tent-like shape shows how people at that time sought to save space and materials while still creating a place for worship.
The location is on Karlstrasse 49B in Karlsruhe and is easy to find. It makes sense to look at the exterior facade to understand the unique construction, and then explore the interior to appreciate the open, functional design.
The construction was remarkably economical for its time, costing roughly half what a traditional church of similar size would have cost. This savings was achieved through the simple, tent-like wooden design that nonetheless created a dignified place of worship.
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