Stuttgart: St Georg

1929 – 1930

Architect: Hugo Schlösser

Heilbronner Straße 131-135, Stuttgart, Germany

The church was built between 1929 and 1930 as a clinker brick building according to the plans of the architect Hugo Schlösser.

In line with the needs of modern pastoral care in large cities, a cohesive complex comprising a church and a community center was created. With its modern appearance, the building also follows the principles of New Objectivity architecture.

Church Building

The large church building is flanked by parish rooms on the left and the rectory on the right.

The tower is offset laterally towards the street and absorbs the weight of the nave.

Ornamental cornices running across the corner of the tower cleverly point out the narrow, high sound slots of the belfry.

The large flight of steps and the equestrian statue of the church’s patron saint, designed by Karl Rieber and located on the tower’s façade, further break up the building’s mass.

The modernist exterior is continued inside.

Interior

The floor plan shows the classic three-nave basilica form, but the side aisles have been reduced to mere passageways.

The narrow barrel vaults of the side aisles create a visual unit facing forward with the barrel vault of the chancel.

Works of Art

The large, dominant mosaic on the rear wall of the choir depicts Christ as the world redeemer and was designed by the artist Josef Eberz, who also designed the lateral Stations of the Cross.

The side chapels, divided by expressive concrete ribs, contrast with the functional design of the main nave.

The ribs’ expressive design and the 14 silkscreen prints by graphic artist Anton Stankowski hanging below them make them particularly significant artistically.

The former baptismal font in the chapel now serves as an altar for weekday services, and the original clinker floor from the pre-war period remains.

Reconstruction and Restoration

In October 1944, the church was hit by several bombs, causing the roof and the north wall with the organ to collapse.

After the war, the church was quickly rebuilt. The roof’s shape was changed to a sloped tiled roof because copper for the original flat roof was unavailable.

In 2010, the interior of the historic church was thoroughly renovated and redesigned to adapt to modern liturgical requirements.

Redesign

Rolf Bodenseh designed the new altar, ambo, baptismal font, and holy water font using lava basalt.

In 1975, the dilapidated postwar organ was replaced with a pipe organ from the Winfried Albiez workshop.

A new portal and barrier-free access were also created on the west side.