BERLIN CALENDAR: THE STEP-MOTHER'S CHURCH - BERLIN'S SOPHIENKIRCHE

Today in Berlin: 18 June, 1713

Did you know that around 1930 Berlin - the godless Babylon, the City of Sin and of instant access to unlimited amounts of cocaine and any form of sexual fantasy/deviation in the book - was also home to one of the largest clusters of churches in Europe? Rome might have led the race with its approximately 900 sacral buildings but the debauched capital of the Weimar Republic with its 330 or so churches still made it into the Top 5.

Today, Berlin has some 400 church buildings, albeit not all of them are still used as religious centres.

One of the best-known still-active temples is the Sophienkirche, consecrated on this day in 1713. Berlin’s oldest still existing Baroque church opened in the historic district of Spandauer Vorstadt (fun fact: actually Spandower Vorstadt as until 1878 Spandau, like Pankow, was officially spelled “Spandow”).

Its first name “Spandauische Kirche” was correct as far geography went - it was built to serve the growing number of Spandauer Vorstadt’s residents. However, there was another, far less benevolent reason, for that first official label. A family feud as old as the hills.