St. Clement's Basilica – Hannover Attraction - Visit Hannover
Place of interest
Basilica of St. Clemens
The basilica was Hanover's first Catholic church.
Basilica of St. Clemens
St. Clemens Church in Hanover is the city’s main Catholic church and was built between 1712 and 1718. It is the center of the Hanover Regional Deanery and, since 2010, has been part of the St. Heinrich parish in the Hanover Deanery of the Diocese of Hildesheim. The church was the first Catholic church built in Hanover after the Reformation, with its construction spearheaded by the Italian priest Agostino Steffani. Originally planned as a Venetian-style domed structure, financial constraints meant that the dome could not be completed until after World War II. The church was severely damaged during the war but was rebuilt in the 1950s and equipped with a dome and bell towers. In 1998, Pope John Paul II elevated the church to the status of a minor basilica. The interior features modern furnishings, including statues of the Apostles and bronze portals by Heinrich Gerhard Bücker. The church’s organ was built in 1973 by Johannes Klais and has 32 stops. The church’s bells originate from the former German eastern territories and are currently on loan. The church also houses the epitaph for Agostino Steffani in the Imperial Cathedral of St. Bartholomew in Frankfurt.