More than 20,000 churches across Germany are “expected to be abandoned in the next five to 10 years,” The New York Times reported, citing Dutch artist and art historian Hedwig Fijen.
“In some churches, they really throw away the key,” Fijen said. “I’ve found sacred objects in the garbage bin.”
“There is no central plan for what to do with the buildings, but secular cultural organizations, artists, preservationists and city planners are looking for ways to repurpose them for the benefit of their cities and towns—whether as health care centers, bookstores or spaces for the arts,” wrote journalist Nina Siegal.