Bouldering hall instead of service: Bad Orbs Church is revived!

Bouldering hall instead of service: Bad Orbs Church is revived!

In Bad Orb, an empty church is converted into a bouldering hall. The former rooms of the St. Michael Catholic Church, which have been unused since 2016, are soon to be used as "bouldering". This creates the first German church building for bouldering, a concept that has already been implemented in Mönchengladbach. Builders are the passionate climbers Marc Ihl (35) and Marco Köhler (42), who have chosen this innovative project after the local parish signed the lease.

The opening of the Bouldering Hall is planned for April 12, 2025 and will include an impressive area of ​​750 square meters. Various climbing routes should attract future visitors. The renovation costs amount to almost half a million euros, with 100,000 euros being provided as regional funding aid. In the church, a small chapel, which continues to be consecrated, will remain that has separate access to separate believers from the bouldering hall. The Bishop of Fulda, Michael Gerber, has already expressed interest in using the side chapel for services.

preservation of identity

A respectful handling of the historical existence of the church and the maintenance of formative design elements are central aspects of the renovation. For example, furniture and sacred objects are converted from the church. Church benches find new use as seating furniture in the bouldering hall. In addition, the Marienkapelle is preserved in the rear area of ​​the church and is used as a youth church.

The main planning and execution are in the hands of the Berlin architect Isabelle Ihl, which is responsible for the approval procedure under the participation of Next Habitat. The team is also supported by Stefan Epp, an expert for bouldering halls. The approval of the diocese of Fulda and acceptance in the community underpin the project.

trends in church use

The conversion of churches is increasing in Germany, not least because of the falling number of worships that are used for traditional service. The increasing number of unused churches forces many communities to think about the future of their real estate. A publication of the teaching and research area for real estate project development at RWTH Aachen will soon be published, which deals with the conversion of churches in North Rhine-Westphalia. This publication will present 21 examples of successful conversions and show how municipalities can develop careful and existing concepts.

The operators of Boulderchurch Bad Orb hope to win visitors from the Frankfurt-Achaffenburg-Fulda triangle and to set an innovative example of the use of empty worshipers with their project. The character of the historical building remains noticeable, while a new, dynamic function is created.

The combination of climbing and lingering in a sacred room opens up exciting perspectives for the conversion of church rooms. These approaches make it clear that the potential of these buildings goes far beyond traditional uses.