Heidentempel

Referinghausen, Germany

Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu

Photo © Christoph Hesse Architekten

Drawing © Christoph Hesse Architekten

Visualization © Christoph Hesse Architekten

Drawing © Christoph Hesse Architekten

Spiritual sites

Architects: Christoph Hesse Architects

Location: Referinghausen, Germany
Year: 2020

The Open Mind Place Heidentempel (pagan temple) is a place to rest and to get in contact with nature and people. It is located directly on the popular trail Heidenstrasse (pagan road), a medieval trade route between Cologne and Leipzig in Germany that dates back more than 1,000 years.
At the transition between the darkness of the forest and the light of the clearing, the wooden structure consists only of pillars holding a round recycled wooden roof. The incision offers a view into the treetops and the sky symbolizing the darkness of the forest and the light of the fields.
Originally, the roof served as a table for models at an exhibition called “Grounded” at Aedes Berlin in 2019. In order not to waste it, the table has been reused. It has been turned upside down, lifted up and thus started a second life as a covering shelter for people.