St. Paul's Church, Munich, Gothic Revival church in Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt quarter, Munich, Germany.
St. Paul's Church is a Gothic Revival church built of Ansbach limestone over a brick core, with Upper Bavarian tuff inside. Its 97-metre main tower, modelled on Frankfurt Cathedral's tower, rises above the crossing, while two 76-metre towers flank the west facade, where a large rose window sits above the main entrance. Steep terracotta-red roofs cover the nave and transept.
Austrian architect Georg von Hauberrisser designed and built the church between 1892 and 1906, making it a late example of Gothic Revival construction in Bavaria. The building rose during Munich's rapid urban growth, serving new neighborhoods that were expanding beyond the historic city center.
The Landwehrstraße ends at the church, and its axis points toward St. Peter, the mother parish in the old town. The church was built as a parish for the Ludwigsvorstadt district, and its name refers to the Apostle Paul. The neo-Gothic design was a deliberate choice by a self-confident bourgeoisie, contrasting with the neo-Romanesque style favoured by dynastic loyalists.
The church sits at St.-Pauls-Platz 11, easily accessible by subway at the Theresienwiese station nearby. Visitors should plan their visit around worship times, as entry may be restricted during services.
On 17 December 1960, a Convair C-131D Samaritan taking off from Riem Airport struck the main tower in dense fog and lost a wing; the aircraft crashed onto a tram on Martin-Greif-Straße, killing 52 people. The tower spire was bent above its sphere, and the damage remains part of the church's history.
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