ST NIKOLAI MEMORIAL

At 147 meters, the St. Nikolai Memorial church is the tallest church tower in the city which is dedicated to the victims of World War 2. The beautiful church was destroyed in the great fire of Hamburg in the year 1842 and was again rebuilt with neo-gothic architecture. The church's tower was again destroyed during the allied bombing raids on Hamburg which was called Operation Gomorrah in July 1943.

In 1977, the St. Nikolai Memorial was dedicated as a memorial site where you can witness many plaques installed in memory of the victims of the bombing. The memorial was expanded because of public funding in 1987 and the city was able to preserve the structural fabric of the ruined church. On the 70th anniversary of the church, in 2013, the church was expanded and an exhibition took place called the Gomorrah 1943: Hamburg’s destruction through aerial warfare.

The exhibition tells you the story of the consequences of the bombing of the city, the construction of air-raid shelters in preparation for war, and also about the aerial war with Germany’s attacks on Warsaw. The church also has a 76-meter tall viewing platform located in the tower where you can see the large-scale photos of the bombed city from 1943.

Highlights

• Witness the largest church tower in the city which is 147 meters tall with a viewing platform on the tower where you can look at the panoramic views of the city.
• Witness the ruins of the church which was destroyed during the Allied bombing raids on Hamburg.
• The memorial is dedicated to the victims of the bombing with plaques of the people who died during the bombing.
• Learn more about the consequences of the bombing in Hamburg and how the city prepared for war through the exhibition in the church.
• Head over to the viewing platform located 76 meters high in the tower to look at the large-scale photos of the bombed city from the church steeple.