Protestant Church of the Redeemer, Holsterhausen

Probably every resident of Essen knows the Erlöserkirche on the corner of Bismarckstraße and Friedrichstraße, since anyone who drives a car will pass it sooner or later.

Franz von Schwechten, Kaiser Wilhelm II’s personal architect, built this church between 1905 and 1909 in the Neo-Romanesque style as the centrepiece of the then newly developing Südviertel. Its striking bell tower, reminiscent of an Italian campanile, stands beside the nave and can be seen from afar, as can the two choir towers at the rear of the building.

Completely destroyed in the Second World War, the church was redesigned in the 1950s with exceptional taste and thoughtful attention to detail. The renowned educator and “craftsman philosopher” Hugo Kükelhaus designed the interior, taking even the smallest details into account.

It is no surprise that the “Essener Bachchor”, the “gospel&more” choir and a church choir feel at home here, and that the church is also popular with cultural professionals from outside the congregation.

The church is open on Saturdays from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Guided tours are available once a month and on request. Unfortunately, the church has to remain closed at other times due to the risk of vandalism, but you can explore it on a virtual tour. Please visit the website to take the virtual tour.