Germany's empty churches closed and repurposed as congregations decline

A bicycle shop at the site of St. Roch Catholic Church in Jülich. Photo: Toms Bike Center

On December 26, 2025, an article was published in Deutsche Welle, stating that amidst the rapid decline in the number of parishioners of Catholic and Protestant churches in Germany, churches are being closed en masse, deprived of their sacred status, and repurposed for secular needs. 

The publication notes that currently, more than 45% of Germany's residents identify with the Protestant or Catholic Church, whereas thirty years ago, that figure stood at almost 69%. In 2024, the country's two largest denominations lost over a million believers. The decline in the number of parishioners leads to church communities no longer being able to maintain a significant number of churches.

According to the German Bishops' Conference, from 2000 to 2024, 611 Catholic churches were closed and decommissioned in the country. Representatives of the Protestant Church, in turn, estimate the number of permanently closed churches during the same period to be 300–350, although exact statistics are not kept.

The vacated church buildings are often sold, demolished, or repurposed. In various regions of Germany, former churches are transformed into shops, sports halls, libraries, hotels, and residential buildings. In some cases, they are occupied by growing Orthodox communities.

As noted in the material, the process of closing and repurposing churches evokes mixed reactions among local residents: some consider the new use of the buildings practical and beneficial for society, while others regret the loss of religious and cultural symbols of their areas.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in Germany, a pole-dancer performed at a Lutheran church.

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