St. Marien, Modern Catholic church in Wilhelmshaven, Germany

St. Marien is a modern Catholic church featuring a distinctive roof made of fourteen curved concrete tubes supported by fifteen concrete pillars. White-painted concrete walls combine with red brick surfaces, and the interior accommodates about 320 worshippers arranged in two seating sections separated by a central aisle.

The original church was destroyed during the Second World War in 1944, after which the congregation worshipped in a temporary structure. The present building was constructed in the postwar years and consecrated in 1956.

The name St. Marien reflects the veneration of Mary central to the Catholic faith practiced here. Visitors can see the church serving as a gathering place where the local community comes together for services and spiritual life.

The church houses an organ built in 1969 with 18 stops operated by mechanical action, adding to the acoustic experience inside. The two separate seating areas are clearly defined and offer good sightlines throughout the worship space.

The free-standing bell tower is 32 metres high, its lower four metres left open so visitors can walk between the four white concrete corner pillars. In its upper third, each of the four sides has 36 openings that let the sound of the four bronze bells out. A bridge passage about five metres up links the tower to the church.