Saviour's Church, Baku
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Saviour's Church (also known as kirkha, from German: Kirche) is a Lutheran church in Baku, Azerbaijan (28 May St.), built upon the parishioners' donations by Adolf Eichler and consecrated on March 14, 1899. It is now a Ministry of Culture concert hall. The church features the Gothic samples, its portal is crowned with decorated pediment. While Azerbaijan's Evangelical community ceased to exist in 1936, the church survived the Stalinist period because of petitions to Joseph Stalin, where applicants promised to let them pray for him till death.[1] Nevertheless, Pastor Paul Hamberg and seven other members of the local Lutheran community were executed by shooting on November 1, 1937.[1]
The land parcel of 1400 square sazhens (6373 m²) for the church was assigned by the City Duma on January 30, 1885. Local residents asked Eichler to make the church similar to the one in Helenendorf, but he used his unique style.[1] The laying ceremony was held on Sunday, March 21, 1896 with the Baku governor Lileyev and the city head Iretsky being present.[1] Emmanuel Nobel, his stepmother and Ludvig Nobel's second wife also attended the ceremony.[1] The church's name was announced at that moment.[1] On June 24, 1898 a thirteen-pud (213 kg) gilded cross was elevated atop the church. At the beginning of 1899 a bell and an organ have been installed. The consecration ceremony gathered over one thousand people.[1] On April 23, 1900 the church housed its first organ concert, where Johann Sebastian Bach's works were performed.[1] On December 1, 1996 the Nobel family remembrance evening was held in the church. In 2001 the church was closed for renovation work.[2]
