Church of the Saviour, Lutheran church in Nəsimi district, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Church of the Saviour is a Lutheran place of worship in central Baku featuring a long rectangular hall, deep sanctuary, and tall tower with Gothic arches and ornate doorways. The building displays these vertical lines and decorative details throughout its structure.
German architect Adolf Eichler designed this place of worship, which was built from 1896 to 1899 with donations from the local community. Its completion near the end of the 19th century marked an important moment for the city's growing religious diversity.
The building has housed a concert hall of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Culture since the Soviet era; the Lutheran community was dissolved in 1936 and pastor Paul Hamberg with seven members were shot on 1 November 1937. A memorial evening for the Nobel family was held here on 1 December 1996. The first organ concert, featuring works by Johann Sebastian Bach, took place on 23 April 1900.
The church stands at 28 May Street, formerly Telefonnaya Street, set back from the street in a courtyard, so the single tower is seen from within the yard rather than the pavement. The building now serves as a concert hall of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Culture, so visits depend on its event programme rather than fixed opening hours.
The 213-kilogram gilded cross raised on 24 June 1898 was measured in poods, the old Russian unit of about 16.4 kilograms, so it weighed thirteen poods. The church bells and its organ followed in early 1899, and the first organ concert, on 23 April 1900, was devoted to works by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,181 contributors worldwide.