St. Nicholas Church
Nikolaikirche
The starting point of the 1989 Monday peace prayers and marches. Its plain exterior hides a classicist hall with palm-capped columns.
St. Nicholas Church is Leipzig's oldest and largest church. Its exterior is Romanesque-Gothic, but in the 18th century the interior was remodeled in a rare classicist style, with white columns topped by pale green palm leaves. In the autumn of 1989, the Monday peace prayers here drew tens of thousands of people into the streets. The movement helped bring down the Berlin Wall and paved the way for German reunification, and a replica of the palm columns stands in the square beside the church as a memorial. Several of Bach's Passions also premiered here. Entry is free, and the Monday peace prayer is still held at 17:00.
Opening hours
About 10:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Augustusplatz
- Leipzig Opera
- Panorama Tower (City-Hochhaus)
- Contemporary History Forum
- Mädler Passage
- Old Town Hall & Market Square
- Gewandhaus
- Auerbachs Keller