St. Andreas (Hofkirche)

St. Andreas, known as the Hofkirche, stands on Andreasstraße in the Düsseldorf Altstadt, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was begun in the 1620s for Duke Wolfgang Wilhelm of Palatinate-Neuburg as a church for the Jesuit order and as the court church of his dynasty, and it was completed in the following decades. The architecture is early Baroque with a richly decorated stucco interior, a lofty nave, a monumental high altar and chapels which together express the confidence of the Catholic ruling house in a region with a long history of religious conflict. Its status as a burial place is a main reason for historical interest: the princely crypt holds the tombs of members of the ruling family, among them Elector Johann Wilhelm II, known as Jan Wellem, who died in 1716. After the Jesuit order was dissolved in 1773 the church continued in religious use, and in the 20th century it was taken over by the Dominican order, which still maintains a priory next to it. The church was damaged in the Second World War and has been restored in stages, with the stuccowork and altars repaired. Visitors may enter free of charge outside services, and the building offers a calm contrast to the lively streets around Kommödchen and the Carlsplatz market. It is only a short stroll from the Hofgarten, the Rathaus and the Kunstsammlung, which makes it an easy addition to a walking day. Visitors are asked to dress appropriately, avoid flash photography and observe silence. Information on opening hours is best checked locally since the church closes for services and events.