Stadtkirche Darmstadt, Gothic church in Darmstadt, Germany

Stadtkirche Darmstadt is a Gothic church about 200 m south of the Residential Palace, with a single 63 m tower topped by an octagonal lantern with green copper columns and a domed cap. The pink stucco walls have tall pointed windows, and the steep slate roof ends in a polygonal choir. Inside, clustered piers with pale banding support a dark wooden ribbed vault; a gilded carved altarpiece stands behind the stone altar, and a translucent panel cross hangs above it.

A chapel existed by 1369, when it became an independent parish church; by 1380 a church with nave, choir and tower stood here. It became Protestant in 1526. Air raids in 1943 and 1944 damaged it considerably, and it was rebuilt from 1946 to 1952.

The lily in Darmstadt's coat of arms recalls the church's original dedication to the Virgin Mary; it became Protestant in 1526. The Stadtkirchplatz southwest of the tower, lined with cafés and restaurants, is a culinary centre of the city. Since 2005 the "Live! Jazz in der Stadtkirche!" series has brought jazz concerts into the nave.

The church stands about 200 m south of the Residential Palace, marking the eastern end of the pedestrian zone at the City-Ring. The Stadtkirchplatz southwest of the tower, lined with cafés and restaurants, is a good spot to pause. As an open church it is accessible every weekday; the tower is 63 m high and forms the trigonometric centre of Darmstadt.

The church has served as a concert venue since 2005, when the "Live! Jazz in der Stadtkirche!" series began with "Round Midnight". Performers have included drummer Billy Hart, pianists Michael Wollny and Anke Helfrich, and accordionist Vincent Peirani. The suspended cross of iridescent panels above the altar is a modern addition to the Gothic interior.