Light and color: Ólafur Elíasson's window in the Greifswald cathedral discover

Light and color: Ólafur Elíasson's window in the Greifswald cathedral discover

The Greifswalder Dom St. Nikolai has had new colored windows of the renowned artist ólafur Elíasson since April 2024, which not only shine the church itself, but also the community and the surrounding region in a new splendor. This new design brings a breath of fresh air to the historic building and attracts numerous visitors.

The meaning of the light in the cathedral

in the conversion of the cathedral, which became founded in 1456, light and color play a central role. Pastors and community consider the windows as more than just decorative elements. "The light in the church is a symbol of the resurrection and the presence of the saint," emphasizes Tilman Beyrich, the Protestant pastor. The new windows give the traditional space a whole new atmosphere.

a long way to the new windows

The challenge of bringing colored light into the cathedral took over a period of more than two centuries. The cathedral itself, an important church of Pomerania, was badly damaged during the Napoleonic wars. The financial resources for the renovation were inadequate for a long time, so that the plans for colorful windows were repeatedly put on hold.

artistic visions and innovative technologies

ólafur Elíasson used 65 different colors with its new windows, inspired by the colors of the sky in Caspar David Friedrich's painting "Huttens Grave". The windows are traditionalistically manufactured and, in addition to pure craftsmanship, also show modern elements. A heliochart is installed directly behind the east wall, which is supposed to bundle the sunlight and guide them through the colorful windows to create living light effects in the interior.

The community reacts enthusiastically

The response to the new windows is overwhelming. In the first four weeks after the inauguration, the colorful glass works of art attracted more than eight thousand additional visitors. "This installation will not only attract people for prayer, but also act as a cultural attraction," says Pastor Beyrich. The interaction between the colored windows and the planned mirror installation on the roof of the Krupp science college is unique in Europe.

A look into the future

The windows in the Greifswald cathedral are not only an artistic highlight, they also contribute to the revival of the cultural heritage of the region. On September 5, 2024, Caspar David Friedrich's birthday marks the 250th anniversary. The new windows are part of the celebrations. This variety of aspects - from spirituality and tradition to modern artistic expression - makes the new windows an integral part of the cathedral and an important cultural heritage for the city of Greifswald.