City walk: churches of Frankfurt (Oder)

The tour starts at the train station in Frankfurt (Oder) via Bahnhofstraße to the first church on this tour: the Church of the Holy Cross and the Holy Rosary Queen (Franz-Mehring-Straße 4). The church was built between 1897 and 1899 in neo-Gothic style and served the Catholic community of Frankfurt from the end of the 19th century until today.

The path continues to the famous Marienkirche (Oberkirchplatz 1). Although it is not the oldest sacred building in Frankfurt (Oder), the church and the town hall opposite are related key structures. Even the road network was based on them after the two buildings were erected in parallel. The northern tower of St. Mary's Church can be climbed and the church bells can be heard every hour. Today St. Marien is mainly used for concerts, the church no longer serves a parish in the traditional sense.

The next church on the route is St. Nikolaikirche. It is the oldest church in the city, but you can't tell from it because the church was thoroughly rebuilt in 1880 and 1894. However, the square to the east and north of the church with buildings from the 19th century shows something of the atmosphere of old Frankfurt. Today the church is primarily used as a concert hall by the Brandenburg State Orchestra, which is based here.

The route continues over the town bridge to Slubice. The first thing you will encounter here is the first sacred building in Slubice that was listed as a church: the Church of the Holy Spirit. It was built from 1992 to 1995. After the end of the war, the Bürgerschützenhaus became the parish church of All Saints Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland, in 1946. The youngest church in Slubice has only been holding services for Orthodox Christians since 2015. It is the Church of the Protection of Our Most Holy Mother of God.

Back in Frankfurt (Oder) you go to St. Gertraudenkirche. The church, built in the neo-Gothic style, is one of the few churches in Frankfurt that still serves a community. Nevertheless, it is multifunctional, because in addition to community life, the church also serves as a community center, archive and exhibition space for sacred art.

We continue to St. George's Church. Church services are still held here at Bergstrasse 156 on a regular basis. In the 1920s the church was one of the most important sacred buildings in Frankfurt (Oder).

If you want, you can now make a detour to the Heilandskapelle. The easiest way to get to Eichenweg 41 is by bus to the Klingetal stop. The wooden structure was used for a prisoner-of-war camp during wartime. 22,000 soldiers were interned here during the First World War. The interior, which has been preserved to this day, is the work of the prisoners. You will find an exhibition in the tower.

Length: approx. 11 km, duration: approx. 3 hours pure walking time

Literature:

• City guide Frankfurt (Oder) / Slubice (2021), publisher: ScottyScout, editors: K. Hinrichsen / M. Nesselrodt