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Berlin Cathedral
Berlin Cathedral is the former court
cathedral of Prussia's royal family, the Hohenzollern and was
conceived as a protestant answer to St. Peter's Basilica in
Rome. It was built to plans by Julius Carl Raschdorff from 1894-1905,
during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II. as the royal and memorial
church of the Hohenzollern; the previous cathedral, built 1747-50
and refurbished in classical style by Schinkel, had been demolished.
Ignoring the criticisms of his contemporaries, the new cathedral
arose in accordance with the wishes of Kaiser Wilhelm II. -
a sumptuously ornamented, domed building inspired by the Italian
High Renaissance style. Following extensive damage to the building
during the Second World War, a simplified reconstruction took
place from 1975-93.
Julius Raschdorff designed the magnificent interior around the
turn of the last century. In the "Sermon Chapel",
there is a golden altar frieze depicting the 12 apostles, constructed
to the designs of K. F. Schinkel; the large, impressive organ,
and the magnificent sarcophagi of the Great Elector and Electress
Dorothea, King Friedrich I. and Queen Sophie Charlotte sarcophagi
can also be seen there. The main altar, dating from 1850, is
the work of Friedrich August Stuler. The Christening and Marriage
Chapel contains the altar painting "Miracle of the Pentecost"
by K. Begas the Elder. The royal crypt of the Hohenzollern contains
around 100 remains.
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