The Windhoek Guide - Your Guide to Namibia's Capital

The Christuskirche (Church of Christ) in Windhoek was an idea brought up by Pastor Wilhelm Anz in 1896 and planned by architect Gottlieb Redecker. The construction costs were approx. 360,000 Marks in gold, more than double what was estimated before. The church is known as the landmark of the City of Windhoek and was inaugurated in 1910.

After the end of the wars between Germans and the Nama, Herero and Ovambo, the church was inaugurated as a church of peace in 1910. The evangelic-Lutheran church, build in the neo-Romanic style with art-nouveau influences is located in the historical (and today’s) city centre of Windhoek, on a small hill. The 24 meters high turret is - as the whole church - build from sandstone. Exceptions are the portal and the altar, which are both build from marble. The colourful glass windows in the presbytery are presents of Emperor Wilhelm II and were built in Nuremberg, Germany. The organ was built in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart (Germany). The three bells of the Christuskirche were cast in Apolda (Germany) in 1910 by Franz Schilling. The three bronze bells bear the inscriptions in German: ''Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe'' (''Glory to God in the highest''), ''Friede auf Erden'' (''And on earth peace'') and ''Den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen'' (''Good will toward men'').

Nowadays the Christuskirche is a National Monument of Namibia. Windhoek is home to the bishop and the church leadership. The Windhoek parish includes also different rural farm areas from Seeis to the Khomas Mountains. Bishop is Erich Hertel.

The Christuskirche is the main church of the German Evangelic-Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN-GELC). The history of the church is closely connected with the Rhenish Mission.

 

Photo (c): 2009 Christian Trede