French Cathedral

The Franzosischer Dom (French cathedral) is an imposing structure which stands on Gedarmenmarkt, directly opposite its identical twin, the Deutscher Dom (German cathedral). It was designed in 1701 by architects Louis Cayard and Abraham Quesnay in order to serve the French community in Berlin and to serve as a religious home for the Huguenots who had fled persecution in France. The 55 meter (180 foot) tower is particularly impressive and its bells chime three times a day. The cathedral houses the Huguenot Museum, which documents the life of French protestants in Berlin during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Church services take place next-door at the Franzosische Friedrichstadtkirche.