Intended as a bold counterpoint to the cathedral, the 80 metre high dome of Christ Church rises above the ensemble of church towers in the Mainz city centre. The history of Christ Church is closely linked to the history of Protestantism in Mainz, reflecting the growing self-confidence of this minority community in the city.
In 1830, the Protestant parish, numbering just some 1200 members, bought St. John's Church. One hundred years later, more than 30,000 people living in Mainz, namely almost one third of the population of the city, were Protestants. The community was therefore looking for a new site for its church, and the Neustadt expansion of Mainz at the end of the 19th century came just at the right time for such a project. Half-way along the new splendid boulevard of Kaiserstrasse, the city architect Eduard Kreyssig built a church that still dominates the streetscape.
Kreyssig came up with a design in the style of the Italian High Renaissance, topped by a dome recalling St. Peter's in Rome. When Christ Church was consecrated in 1903 after a seven-year period of construction, the city had obtained a new landmark. The church was badly damaged in 1945, and reconstruction began in 1952. Today, Christ Church is not only a place of worship, but also serves as a venue for exhibitions, concerts, and similar events.
