This is a pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. But notice how the altar is dressed. The center tabernacle with the traditional six candlesticks and three steps up from the sanctuary floor, makes all the difference and brings focus to the purpose of an otherwise naked, minimalist, unremarkable, stark, brutalist, sterile pre-Vatican II Catholic Church:
The church of St Joseph, Aachen, Germany.
When visiting my eye floaters were visible against the brilliant white walls which was frustrating.
The church was built before Vatican II and is in stark contrast to the ornate Aachen Cathedral.
9 comments:
I hope the sanctuary is just as it is. Then I would hire a painter or mosaic artist to put something on the back wall. I hope there is no "altar facing the people."
I am wondering what the outside of the church looks like. Also, it there a crucifix ? I don’t see one.
The outside looks like the inside but without an altar. There is a minimalist crucifix on top of the tabernacle. Yes the main wall behind the altar could at least use a large crucifix. That would help considerably. But it is probably best to bull doze it or make it into the social hall, for which it would be perfect!
It's the Corpus Christi Church (Fronleichnam-Kirche), not St Josef (which looks more like your old church in Macon).
It's weird to think that it was designed and built nearly a century ago. I like the bareness, but you can have too much black marble...
Another lovely abattoir ready for the hose.
Was reading up on the history....it was a 100% art egghead project, denied by both local church anď municipal authorities, pushed forward by local arts council, all work and design limited to local art school folk and even after the architect death, his widow led the fight against changes, only change allowed being the addition of the post Vatican II altar down at floor level.
This was a monument to the designers and builders and not to God.
The "intellectuals" struck again.
Gag....
I don't immediately dislike it probably because of the traditional arrangement. As I mentioned in a previous post, there's a startling quality to this environment that I don't know that I would appreciate week in and week out.
Reflects about as much love and warmth as a toilet seat.
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