One of the last remaining evidences of the founding history of Berlin is located right in the middle of the city – the ruin of the former Franciscan Monastery Church. In April 1945 the church was hit hard and largely destroyed. In the 60s the remaining parts were secured as a memorial against fascism and war disasters. From 2002 to 2004 the monastery church was extensively renovated and thereby saved from the rapid disintegration. Since April 2016 the church is in the property of the Department of Art and Culture of the local government center, which is responsible for the coordination of cultural events and the preservation of historical monuments.
From April to October the monastery church can be visited for free. Public tours are offered on Saturdays at 11 am and on Sundays at 3 pm with advance booking. The focus is on general history and history of usage of the building. The guided tours are free, take about 60 minutes and are held in German. The tours can also be held in English upon request. In addition workshops, lectures and exhibitions on urban and architectural history are offered for the general public as well as for experts.
