The sole surviving late Gothic church in Stuttgart

The Bad Cannstatt town church is the only large medieval church in Stuttgart to have survived the last war unscathed, with the core of the church dating back to the 8th century. This church was built between 1471 and 1506 by Aberlin Jörg the Elder as a three-aisled hall church, so the citizens of Cannstatt could compete with the count’s residence in Stuttgart.

In 1612/13 the most important master builder of the Württemberg Renaissance, Heinrich Schickhardt, completed the tower, which has been praised by many art historians as the most beautiful tower of the German Renaissance. Inside, the choir with its late Gothic ribbed vaulting is particularly impressive.

The old vaulting of the nave collapsed in 1788 and was subsequently replaced by a flat ceiling. Christian Friedrich Leins was responsible for the neo-Gothic restoration in the 19th century. After the war the intention was to remove the fine neo-Gothic false vaults, but fortunately this was not done. As a result a late Gothic interior can be experienced here in a way that is unique in Stuttgart. The city church also has a fine acoustic which is unequalled in the region for its transparency and brightness.

Church and concert hall with excellent acoustics

The Lutherkirche on Waiblinger Straße, Cannstatt was built in 1900 to plans by Richard Böklen and Carl Feil. It is one of the first brick-built churches in southern Germany and could be said to have been modelled on the Gothic brick churches of northern Germany. However, the Lutherkirche draws on the style of French cathedrals and also has its own unique architecture.

The building was based on the “Eisenach Regulations” for Protestant churches in Germany of 1861: a compact floor plan, side galleries providing a clear view, generous light from the windows and durable materials. Yet, the architects did not sacrifice beauty in the interests of functionality. The tower is adorned with small corner turrets and plant decoration embellishes the capitals. The choir and sacristy were destroyed in February 1944. The church was rededicated in 1950 and the interior renovation was completed thirty years later.

With its newly renovated Walcker organ and excellent acoustics, it is one of Stuttgart’s best concert churches.