The maximum building hights are determined by each city (or as in Berlin possible each City District).
In Berlin the first Bebauungsplan (Building Plan) of 1862 regulated maximum street widths of 22 meters and a few years later a general Traufhöhe (Building hight) of 5 floors between 21 and 22 meters and a court yard (Hof) of 3.50 meters were introduced.
The goal was to avoid small, dark, winding streets and allow the fire department to assume the maximum height that in general is needed and that in the court yard an area exists to turn around in.
Exceptions were always (in conjunction with the Fire Department) possible, but until about 10-20 years, seldom
- Churches, Synagoges were common exceptions
It had nothing to do with churches, but since most churches are higher than 22 meters, that may be the cause of this impression.