Manifesta presents official biennial venues and Host Cities
26.09.2025
Manifesta has announced the Host Cities and official venues for the upcoming biennial. The selection, drawn from 200 churches visited across the region, forms a parcours featuring iconic, brutalist and often underused or abandoned post-war churches. Manifesta 16 Ruhr will be staged in Essen, Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Duisburg. The selected church buildings for each city are listed below.
Manifesta 16 Ruhr Venues
St. Bonifatius
Gelsenkirchen
Among the church buildings in Gelsenkirchen, St. Bonifatius (1963 by Ernst von Rudloff) stands out as a compelling example of how former houses of worship can be creatively repurposed. Originally a post-war church from the 1960s, the building was reimagined...
Creative Mediator
Gürsoy Doğtaş
St. Anna
Gelsenkirchen
The St. Anna Church in Gelsenkirchen Schalke-Nord is an impressive example of how a sacred space can be transformed into a lively centre for community and inclusion. Originally consecrated in 1908, the first church was destroyed during World War II...
Creative Mediator
Gürsoy Doğtaş
Thomaskirche
Gelsenkirchen
Though modest in scale, Thomaskirche (1965 by Fred Janowski and Albrecht Wittig) stands out with its remarkable crystalline form, a bold expression of modernity in the mid-1960s that continues to make a remarkable impact on its urban surroundings today. Situated...
Creative Mediator
Gürsoy Doğtaş
St. Josef
Gelsenkirchen
Among the venues of Manifesta 16, St. Josef (1894–1896 by Lambert von Fisenne, 1912 sacristy construction by Josef Franke) holds a unique position: unlike the selected modernist buildings, it features neo-Gothic and Classicist elements. Closed since 2023, the church’s parish...
Creative Mediator
Josep Bohigas
Kulturkirche Liebfrauen
Duisburg
The Catholic Liebfrauenkirche (1958–1971 by Dr. Toni Hermanns), located in Duisburg’s lively city centre, is one of the most important post-war modernist churches in the Rhine and Ruhr areas. It stands as a testament to civic commitment toward the reorientation...
Creative Mediator
Henry Meyric Hughes & Michael Kurtz-1-3000x4500.jpg)
Markuskirche
Essen
Located in the residential district of Essen-Frohnhausen, the Markuskirche is a striking example of early 20th century sacred architecture. Reflecting the key principles of Reformed church design from that era, it features clear, purposeful forms, minimal ornamentation, and a spatial...
Creative Mediator
Henry Meyric Hughes & Michael Kurtz
Christ-König
Bochum
The Christ-König Kirche (1932 by Franz Schneider) in Bochum is a reconstruction of a church originally built for a Franciscan monastery. Its simple design embodies the Franciscan ideal of poverty. After its closure in 1998, the church was repurposed as...
Creative Mediator
Anda Rottenberg & Krzysztof Kosciuczuk
St. Ludgerus
Bochum
Nestled in the heart of Bochum-Langendreer, St. Ludgerus Church (1966 by Hans Joachim Lohmeyer) stands as a testament to postwar resilience and architectural innovation. Through its striking triangular shape, its clean lines and bold geometric proportions, St. Ludgerus captures the...
Creative Mediator
Josep Bohigas
Gethsemane-Kirche
Bochum
Bochum’s Gethsemane Church (1947–1950 by Otto Bartning) is a remarkable example of a Protestant Notkirche (emergency church). Emergency churches served as temporary places of worship set up quickly to provide spiritual support and a gathering space during times of crisis...
Creative Mediator
Anda Rottenberg & Krzysztof Kosciuczuk
St. Anna Bochum
Bochum
This church building (1929 by Wilhelm Peter) is located right in the middle of Bochum’s Goldhamme district west of the city centre, which has been traditionally associated with the steel industry and its workers.
Creative Mediator
Anda Rottenberg & Krzysztof Kosciuczuk
St. Gertrud
Essen
Located near Essen’s commercial streets, the historic St. Gertrud Church (built in 1877 and reconstructed in 1955 by Emil Jung) stands in stark contrast to the surrounding bustle. St. Gertrud’s original neo-Romanesque brick architecture from the late 19th century suffered...
Creative Mediator
René Block & Leonie Herweg
St. Marien
Essen
In the far north of Essen the former St. Marien Church forms a striking landmark in the cityscape. Built between 1961 and 1963 by architect Hans Schilling it is an architectural response to the identity of the Ruhr Area. The...
Creative Mediator
René Block & Leonie Herweg
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