Attraction
Independence Memorial Museum
Free museum in a five-storey glass building on Robert Mugabe Avenue that tells the story of colonial rule, resistance and Namibia's road to independence.
Christuskirche
Windhoek's best-known landmark, a sandstone Lutheran church consecrated in 1910, standing on a traffic island on Robert Mugabe Avenue opposite the Tintenpalast.
At a glance
- Type
- Lutheran church
- Area
- City Centre, Windhoek, Namibia
- Official site
- windhoekcc.org.na
Good to know
- National monument
- Stained glass windows
Why we recommend it
The Christuskirche is the building most people picture when they think of Windhoek. It stands on a traffic island on Robert Mugabe Avenue, opposite the Tintenpalast, and its slim 24-metre spire is visible from much of the city centre. It is the oldest Evangelical Lutheran church in Windhoek, built for the German-speaking congregation founded in the 1890s, and it was proclaimed a national monument in 1974.
The church was designed by the government architect Gottlieb Redecker. Building began after the war against the Herero and Nama ended in 1907, the foundation stone was laid in August of that year, and the church was consecrated on 16 October 1910. It was originally called the Church of Peace, a name that sits uneasily with the violence of the years before it was built, and that tension is worth keeping in mind when you visit the Independence Memorial Museum a few steps away. Stylistically it mixes neo-Romanesque forms with Art Nouveau touches.
Much of the material came from a long way off. The walls are quartz sandstone quarried near the present Avis Dam on the city's eastern edge and brought in by a small railway, while the portico is Carrara marble from Italy. The clock, parts of the roof and three bronze bells cast by Franz Schilling were shipped from Germany. The stained glass windows were a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II. Nearly ninety years after the church opened, a visitor noticed that the windows had been fitted the wrong way round, with the sun protection facing inwards, and they were restored and refitted over about two years.
The exterior is the main draw, and the best photographs are taken from the slope beside the Independence Memorial Museum or from the edge of Parliament Gardens. The church is still a working parish, so access to the interior depends on services and on whether the doors are open when you pass; if you want to see the windows from inside, a weekday morning or a Sunday service is your best chance. Dress modestly and keep quiet if a service is under way.
A visit takes 15 to 30 minutes. Combine it with the Independence Memorial Museum, the Tintenpalast and the National Art Gallery, all within a short walk along Robert Mugabe Avenue. Take care crossing to the island, as traffic circles the church on all sides.
Christuskirche FAQs
When was the Christuskirche built?
The foundation stone was laid in August 1907 and the church was consecrated on 16 October 1910.
Who designed it?
The government architect Gottlieb Redecker, who also designed the Tintenpalast.
What is it made of?
Local quartz sandstone quarried near the present Avis Dam, with a portico of Carrara marble from Italy.
Who gave the stained glass windows?
They were a gift from the German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Can you go inside?
It is a working Lutheran church, so the interior is generally open around services; the exterior can be seen at any time.
How long does a visit take?
Around 15 to 30 minutes, or longer if you attend a service.
Is it a national monument?
Yes. It was proclaimed a national monument on 29 November 1974.
What is nearby?
The Independence Memorial Museum, the Tintenpalast and Parliament Gardens, and the National Art Gallery.