Christuskirche - Windhowek, Namibia
Posted by: 
Torgut
S 22° 34.084 E 017° 05.190
33K E 714536 N 7502794
This Lutheran church is perhaps the most iconic landmark of Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, and it's located in its center.
Waymark Code: WM1AFB9
Location: Namibia
Date Posted: 08/11/2024
Views: 0
The famous Christuskirche was built in the early 19th century by the Germans, when Namibia was a colony of that European nation. It's therefore attached to the German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Its construction started in 1907, immediately after the "pacification" wars against the tribes Herero and Nama, a violent conflict which left marks in these Namibian peoples. In fact the church was supposed to be a symbol of conciliation and was initially named "The Church of Peace".
From Wikipedia:
(
visit link)
"The Christ Church was constructed from quartz sandstone mined from the vicinity of the Avis Dam. The architecture displays a mixture of neo-Romanesque, Art Nouveau and Gothic revival influences. Its spire is 24 m (79 ft) high.
The portico was made from Carrara marble imported from Italy. The clock and part of the roof was shipped from Germany, as were the three bronze bells cast by Franz Schilling. They bear the inscriptions "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" (Glory to God in the highest), "Friede auf Erden" (Peace on earth), and "Den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen" (Goodwill towards men). During a confirmation service in the 1960 the clapper of the main bell came loose, smashed through the window and fell on the street. Window bars were installed after this misfortune.
The colorful stained lead glass windows in the sanctuary were a gift from Emperor Wilhelm II. In the late 1990s a tourist noticed that all of them were installed with the sun protection shield on the inside. In the two years following this discovery, all window elements were restored and refitted for the protective shield to face the outside.
The church is located on a traffic island on Robert Mugabe Avenue, opposite the Tintenpalast."