The ruins of the Franciscan minster, as some of the last surviving remains of the historical origins of the city of Berlin, belong to the most important listed monuments in the city which are open to the public and serve as a cultural venue.
Situated in the contemporary and historic centre of Berlin and directly next to Alexanderplatz, the ruins are considered to be an exceptional monument to medieval architecture. The turbulent history of the ruins, their construction and the diverse roles they have played, reflect the eventful history of the city around them.
Since 2016, artists are invited each year to shine a contemporary light on the old minster, and to open new perspectives on and for the ruins. The different site-specific formats offered by contemporary art tackle the architecture and history of the ruins of the former Franciscan minster, as well as examining contemporary urban planning processes in the area surrounding the minster and the Molkenmarkt.
In the future as well the ruins and the restored vestry will host art and education projects about the history of the Grey Minster, the Franciscan church and the minster’s neighbourhood. The goal is a cultural usage of the ruins which does justice to their unique significance for the history of both Berlin and the preservation of historic monuments.
The ruins of the Franciscan minster, in cooperation with the Jugend im Museum e.V. and the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin, offers an educational programme (Verlinkung zu Groups and Tours) for school classes and pre-school groups to accompany the exhibitions.