Basilica St. Clemens, Catholic basilica in Mitte district, Hannover, Germany
The Basilica St. Clemens is a Catholic church in Hanover's Mitte district, built 1712–1718 to a design by the Venetian architect Tommaso Giusti. Its pale orange and cream facade rises from a paved square, with a tall ribbed pale green dome on a drum of narrow arched windows, topped by a lantern and cross. Two statues stand on the roofline beside the dome, and a smaller pointed-roof tower rises to the right. Giusti's plan for two flanking towers was dropped for lack of funds; the present dome and squat bell towers were added only in the 1947–1957 reconstruction.
Construction of this Catholic church began in 1712 under architect Tommaso Giusti and marked the first Roman Catholic building in Hannover after the Reformation period. The structure arose during a time when Catholic buildings were being reestablished across the region.
The church is named after Saint Clement of Rome, the patron saint of Pope Clement XI, who collected money for its construction. The crypt beneath the upper church holds the grave of the architect Tommaso Giusti and is still used for small services. The bronze portals were designed by Heinrich Gerhard Bücker, and over-life-size apostle figures from the 1950s stand in the nave.
The church stands in the Calenberger Neustadt, a short walk from the Leine and the old town. The crypt beneath the upper church, where architect Tommaso Giusti is buried, is still used for small services. The bronze portals were designed by Heinrich Gerhard Bücker.
This building is the only ecclesiastical structure in northern Germany constructed entirely in pure Italian architectural style. It was designed and built under Italian direction, displaying craftsmanship details rarely found elsewhere in the region.
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