Herz-Jesu-Kirche, Catholic church in Süd, Ludwigshafen, Germany

The Herz-Jesu-Kirche is a three-aisled basilica in Ludwigshafen, built between 1926 and 1929 to designs by Albert Boßlet. Its front is dominated by a 25-metre tower block clad in dark red brick with slit windows. The high central nave is covered by a torkreted barrel vault, contrasting with the lower side aisles.

The parish area was still unbuilt until 1880; after the Rhine bridge opened, industry and housing arrived. In 1902 the St. Sebastian and St. Ludwig parishes bought a plot, and in 1921 the area became independent. Albert Boßlet won the 1926 three-church competition against Hans Herkommer, Karl Lochner led the site, and Joseph Hoffmann & Söhne did the concrete work. The first sod was cut in 1926, and Bishop Ludwig Sebastian consecrated the church on 21 April 1929.

The Herz-Jesu-Kirche serves as a gathering place for the Catholic community of Ludwigshafen and stands out on Mundenheimer Straße with its distinctive brick exterior. The strong vertical lines of the facade and the 25 meter bell tower draw the eye upward, creating a focal point where neighbors come together for prayer and celebrations.

The church is easy to locate on Mundenheimer Straße in a mixed residential area with homes and shops nearby. Visitors should plan to arrive during daytime hours to view the interior architecture and potentially attend services or community celebrations.

The church was one of three designs entered in a 1920s competition alongside St. Marien and St. Josef in Friesenheim; Albert Boßlet won the Ludwigshafen-Süd commission over Hans Herkommer, and his colleague Karl Lochner supervised the building. The concrete work was done by Joseph Hoffmann & Söhne. A planned tower flanking the choir was never built.