Munich: Heilig Blut

1932 – 1934

Architect: Hans Döllgast

Scheinerstraße 12, Munich, Germany

Historical Background

Since the turn of the century, the Munich-Bogenhausen district and the Catholic parish of St. George had been growing.

After considering several locations for a new church prior to World War I, the city of Munich donated a plot of land to the parish on Secchiplatz.

Hans Döllgast

The church was not completed according to architect Hans Döllgast’s plans until 1934. At that time, Döllgast was a lecturer at the Technical University of Munich.

Heavily damaged during World War II, the church was rebuilt under Döllgast’s direction in 1950.

Heilig Blut Church

The groundbreaking for the new building took place in March 1934. The foundation stone was laid in May of that year, and the church was consecrated in November.

Döllgast designed the church to combine traditional architectural forms with modern elements.

The white, unadorned wall surfaces, in particular, represent a modern architectural concept through their simplicity and straightness.

The windowless gable front, which contains the main entrance, is adorned with a Günther Grassmann mosaic.

Made of cut natural stones, the mosaic depicts two angels holding the Veil of Veronica bearing his image.

In the corner is the coat of arms of Munich Archbishop and Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber.

Interior

The interior of the three-nave hall church is a single, light, rectilinear hall. Fourteen slender, round, formwork-rough concrete columns divide the space. These columns originally supported a flat, stucco ceiling.

The bell tower was designed with a spire.

The tower and the stucco ceiling were both destroyed in a bombing raid in October 1943.

Reconstruction

Reconstruction began in 1950 under the direction of architect Hans Döllgast.

The belfry, which had previously been lower than the gable line of the church, was raised 10 meters and finished with a gable roof.

The stucco ceiling was replaced with a smooth wooden one.