Church conversion in Essen

Upward view from the entrance area into the large stairwell
Between 2004 and 2009 alone, eighteen Catholic and three Protestant churches in the city of Essen closed their doors for good. The main factors have included: shrinking congregations, a declining population – since the 1970s Essen has shrunk by 120,000 inhabitants – and the financial woes of the diocese of Essen.
Upward view from the entrance area into the large stairwell