The Church of Peace was built from 1845–54, according to plans by Ludwig Persius and August Stüler, based on the designs of Frederick William IV. The triple-nave basilica is part of an architectural ensemble that includes the neighboring vicarage and the small Marly Palace. The ensemble embodied the king's piety, which was influenced by both the Romantic era and his admiration for Italy. The Church of Peace was modeled after the early Christian church of San Clemente in Rome.
In the style of medieval sacred architecture, cloisters, columned courtyards, and a covered colonnade were attached to the church. On the east side of the building complex is an area designed with a man-made pond and a garden, while the west façade leads to the Marly Garden. Lenné redesigned this former kitchen garden of Frederick William I into an intimate landscaped garden within a small setting.
In contrast to the pure natural stone of the architectural exterior, the effect of the church's interior is quite animated due to the implementation of a variety of colorful, carefully chosen types of marble. The apse is decorated with a rare original mosaic from the first half of the 13th century, which came from the Church of San Cipriano in Venice. Its form is the only one of its kind north of the Alps.