Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Hamburg St. Nicholas' Church

St. Nicholas' Church

Once the tallest building in the world, this abandoned church is now a monument to the destruction of WWII.

Hamburg, Germany

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
St. Nicholas’ Church   AlterVista on Wikipedia
St. Nicholas’ Church   Jay Cagle on Flickr
St. Nicholas’ Church   Jay Cagle on Flickr
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
St. Nikolas Church  
St. Nikolai  
St.-Nikolai-Kirche   Kris McCracken / Atlas Obscura User
Looking up, April 2018   Kris McCracken / Atlas Obscura User
Memorial, April 2018   Kris McCracken / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Looking out from St.-Nikolai-Kirche   Kris McCracken / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

While the tall Gothic tower of St. Nicholas' Church in Hamburg, Germany, still pierces the skyline of the city like it did in the brief heyday when it ranked as the tallest building in the world, what remains of the church below is now empty save for visitors coming to pay their respects to the World War II monument it has become.

The ornate Gothic fortress whose spire remains today was originally built on the spot in 1874. It was built on the site of a former church that had burnt to the ground, and upon its completion the top of the central tower marked the tallest building in the world. While the church only held this honor for a couple of years before being deposed by another cathedral, it continued to act as a well-respected and iconic holy house in the city, the intricate Gothic design making it an architectural gem.

Unfortunately, as with many countries in Europe, World War II arrived and drastically changed the city's landscape. During a 1943 bombing run the church was irreparably damaged and had to be abandoned. Eventually the nave building was torn down, but the tower, which was still fairly structurally sound was left, hollow but standing.

Today the gorgeous tower still stands in Hamburg as a war memorial. Visitors can ride an elevator to the top of the tower for a lovely if somewhat tragic view of the city.       

Related Tags

Churches Abandoned Towers Memorials World War Ii Sacred Spaces Military

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

Kris McCracken, Collector of Experiences, Ragnar of Ballard, Ursula...

  • Kris McCracken
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • Ursula
  • Johan SWE

Published

December 22, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://christiantourism.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/the-gothic-revival-church-of-st-nicholas-formerly-in-the-city-of-hamburggermany/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Nicholas%27_Church,_Hamburg
St. Nicholas' Church
Willy-Brandt Street 60
Hamburg, 20457
Germany
53.54746, 9.99103
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Der Pudel auf dem Dach (The Poodle on the Roof)

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Miniatur Wunderland

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Harry’s Harbor Bazaar

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hamburg

Hamburg

Germany

Places 16
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Der Pudel auf dem Dach (The Poodle on the Roof)

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Miniatur Wunderland

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Harry’s Harbor Bazaar

Hamburg, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hamburg

Hamburg

Germany

Places 16
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Interior of the ruins with anchor memorial.

    Southampton, England

    Ruins of Holyrood Church

    Now a memorial to merchant sailors and Titanic victims, this medieval church was destroyed by bombing raids in 1940.

  • Church of St. Mary in Luebeck, the bells, partly melted during the fire in WWII.

    Lübeck, Germany

    The Broken Bells of St. Mary's

    The bells remain in a shattered heap exactly as they fell when the church was bombed in World War II.

  • Old and new churches side by side.

    Berlin, Germany

    Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

    An imperial church bombed to ruins during WWII now stands as a jagged memorial.

  • Church of Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka

    Brno, Czechia

    Church of Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka

    A striking, modern church devoted to a nun who loved God and beer.

  • Tempio della Pace (Temple of Peace)

    Padua, Italy

    Tempio della Pace (Temple of Peace)

    The people of Padua pledged to construct this church if the city was spared from destruction during World War I.

  • Sankt Sakrament church in Düsseldorf

    Dusseldorf, Germany

    Sankt Sakrament Düsseldorf

    This concrete church spent a period of its history as a World War II bunker.

  • Stained-glass window depicting Washington at prayer.

    King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

    Washington Memorial Chapel

    An eccentric priest's tribute to George Washington, this chapel tells the story of the American Revolution.

  • Montcassino Abbey.

    Cassino, Italy

    Montecassino Abbey

    This breathtaking monastery was established by Saint Benedict himself 1,500 years ago.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.