Catholic Church of Mary, Mother of Christianity (Ger. Marienkirche)

Historical Monuments

Description

The Church of Mary is a modern religious building in the northwestern district of Guben Reichenbach. White plastered brick walls, an asymmetrical projection and a deep gable roof characterize the exterior of the building. The entrance area consists of an unplastered, low porch made of clinker brick, which was later flanked by confessionals. Over a hundred glazing in the form of a honeycomb was built over the entrance, which together with the side windows in a simple sandstone frame create a unique atmosphere in the interior. The unusual structure of the roof and ceiling, resembling a tent, and a large altar dominate the inner hall. The altar itself is covered with alternating light and dark Solnhofen slate.

Historical background

After the end of World War II, along with the demarcation and division of the city, Catholics from Guben were denied access to the Gubin church at today's Królewska Street. For this reason, services for the Catholic community were held in various places, including the parish hall on Brucker Str., enabled since 1955. With the employment of a large number of workers in chemical plant in 1964, some of whom were Catholic, the need to build a dedicated temple became inalienable. For this reason, in 1965, an application for the construction of a church on the grounds used by the community in Brucker Str. was filed to the Guben’s building authority. The application was rejected, starting a period of lengthy negotiations that ended with the swop of the plot into the one in the Reichenbach district. After four years of construction, in 1971, the church was officially put into use. Particularly noteworthy is the idea behind the architectural design as well as the very importance of the building from the point of view of the history of the Catholic Church. Designed by Egon Körner, the temple reproduces the individual elements of the Second Vatican Council, which include, among others, the symbolic shape of the roof in the form of a tent, the play of lights, and the shape of the presbytery that reaches far into the church. The building has a high urban, architectural, and church value, spatially exerting a significant influence on the Reichenbach district.