The crypt of the Frauenkirche served as a burial place in the 18th century. The persons buried here included the master builder who constructed the Frauenkirche, George Bähr. During the destruction of the church, however, only one single burial chamber remained unscathed. The location of the coffins in the walled graves was largely preserved. Yet, despite the fact that the vast majority of the Lower Church had to be revaulted in the course of the reconstruction work, the fate of destruction has in all remained unmistakable. 
 
Between 1996 and 2005, the Lower Church served as a church room. It was here that services, devotions and ecumenical evensong took place. Visitors were also able to attend concerts and take part in guided tours here during the period of the Frauenkirche’s reconstruction. Particularly striking was and is the monumental stone altar that was crafted by the Indian-born Jewish sculptor Anish Kapoor out of black Irish Iimestone. 
 
The tradition of evensong and the artistic usage of the Lower Church live on to this very day. Apart from these exceptions, however, the Lower Church has become a place of silence, contemplation, personal devotion and prayer. To this end, the artistic design of the five chapels was created by the Berlin-based sculptor Michael Schoenholtz with destruction and renaissance in their manifold forms its central theme.