Church and Cultural Centre “Christuskirche”, Omsk
(Western Siberia)
Christ Church is the first new church to be built in Russia since the October Revolution. It plays an important role for the remaining Germans who have lived here for generations, because it is the centre of their life together and a place of German-Russian encounters. The realisation of the church centre is an example of successful German-Russian joint work. It resulted from the cooperation of a German architect with the city building council in Omsk and a Russian engineering office. The work was carried out by local companies using local materials.
The Christuskirche was awarded 3rd prize in the All-Russian Architectural Competition in Moscow in 1996 and is mentioned in numerous publications in Germany and Russia.
“The spatial-constructive design of this church interior is also reminiscent of a spiritually and materially similarly difficult time, of destroyed Germany, when a number of so-called emergency churches were built in 1948. The architect of these 48 churches, Otto Bartning, himself an eloquent “preacher”, wrote at the time: “The churches are inconspicuous on the outside, a little fortified, but they appear as the first signs of a renewed ancient order. They are simple inside … All people become clear and simple, humbly proud in this space. And community is formed.”
“The emergency church develops its own law, which often without our knowledge has forced us to build steadfastly and sparingly, neither arrogantly nor despondently, neither old-fashioned nor witty, but simply and honestly. So stone here had to be unplastered stone, wood grown wood and steel unclad steel…”
Dietmar Brandenburger
architectural critic
The church at its 10 year celebration in 2004
south-west view
south-west view