Alte Kirche (Begräbniskapelle)

The Alte Kirche, also known as the Begräbniskapelle, stands in Golm on Potsdam’s Reiherberg. A cemetery surrounds the historic building on the northern slope. First mentioned in 1289, the church retains fifteenth-century oak roof timbers and a semicircular apse. Its original walls used half-timbering before later brickwork replaced them. By 1780, brick walls, a plain plaster façade and a substantial west tower had reshaped the medieval structure. The former roof turret disappeared when the substantial west tower arrived. A Baroque altar installed in 1718 is now preserved at the Potsdam Museum. Two bronze bells from the fifteenth century are displayed in Berlin’s Nikolaikirche. After serving as a burial chapel, the church became storage space following the Second World War. Restoration plans retain the medieval character and create a community meeting house. The northern roof and façade suffered damage during the final days of the Second World War. The bricked-up main entrance is intended to reopen. Concerts and discussions form part of the planned cultural use. The Alte Kirche therefore connects medieval fabric with Potsdam’s architectural history.