Religion and the city have always been closely interwoven. The confessional diversity of a society is reflected in its sacral buildings. Contemporary projects for churches, synagogues, and mosques are often the subject of politically charged debates, as they touch on necessary contentions about cultural identities and raise questions about the power of religions to integrate. Architecture provides answers, it defines the new role of religion in an enlightened, democratic society. Ansgar and Benedikt Schulz explore perspectives on contemporary sacral architecture in Germany through discussions with the architects Paul Böhm, Jost Haberland, Wilfried Kühn, and Andreas Meck. The book presents five important sacral buildings, some of which are still in the planning stage, and places them within the urban and social context by means of incisive texts, from the Central Mosque in Cologne to the House of One in Berlin. The Swiss church architect Mario Botta also pays tribute to the St. Trinitatis provost church in Leipzig as a sign of our times.

Ansgar and Benedikt Schultz (eds.)