Christuskirche, Rome

The Christ Church ( Chiesa di Cristo ) is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rome in the Ludovisi district. The church was built in 1910-1922. The architect was Franz Heinrich Schwechten, who also has the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin- Charlottenburg planned.

Architectural History

Since 1819 there are in Rome Protestant services. Originally located in a chapel of the Prussian embassy at the Capitol, setting up their own community was successively operated. From 1870 to 1915, located in the embassy chapel of the Palazzo Caffarelli, was founded in 1899 acquired the necessary space by a collection in Germany on the grounds of the Villa Ludovisi parceled to edify the church. The design has been greatly delayed by the First World War. The simple façade of the church is made ​​of travertine and three niches, each respectively containing a statue of Peter, Christ and Paul. Two stair towers frame the facade and a large clock tower at the apse side complete the picture.

Equipment

The three-aisled basilica is entered through a small inserted into the front atrium, each with an opposite door on the narrow side. The building material of the interior was donated by Luther cities of central Germany and is dominated by the Romanesque style. The nave ends with a raised semi-circular apse. There is the marble pulpit, which is decorated with reliefs of Isaiah, John the Baptist, the first martyr Stephen and John the Evangelist on the right side. In the middle of the chancel is the altar, which is crowned by a bronze crucifix. The vaults of the nave and the clerestory are covered with golden mosaics in naturalistic motifs and geometric patterns. The apse itself has a richer mosaic decoration. Amid the Tree of Life is located in the vault of the apse Christ Pantocrator. The vessels of the altar comes from the embassy chapel and retained in the new building his place.

Font

In the apse of the right aisle is since 1828 the baptismal font, the base of which is the original terracotta model by Bertel Thorvaldsen to 1822, the final design is in the cathedral of Reykjavik since 1839. The original work Thorvaldsen is in the chapel of Brahetrolleborg Castle in Denmark since 1817. The pool was designed by the architect Johann Michael Knapp and a work of the bronze caster Hopfgarten Wilhelm (1779-1860), the uncle and mentor Emil Alexander of Hopfgarten in Rome.

Ringing

The tower received a copy of the Geläuts the castle church of Wittenberg.

Organ

The Steinmeyer Organ Opus 1515 1930 installed.