On Christmas Eve 1910, the Luther Church in Wiesbaden was inaugurated, a Protestant church that set standards in its architectural character.
The floor plan was quite unusual for that time, but when the church was handed over for its intended purpose, visitors raved about the design of the interior and especially about the very good acoustics. A little more than two years after the groundbreaking ceremony, the work from the think tank of architect Friedrich Pützer was completed, and today the Lutherkirche on Mosbacher Straße is one of the sights of the city of Wiesbaden.
A fourth church for Wiesbaden
The Art Nouveau style, which was very fashionable for all new buildings at the turn of the century, also determined the architecture of the Lutherkirche. It was built in Wiesbaden because the city's population was growing rapidly at that time and the Protestant community urgently needed a fourth place of worship in addition to the Marktkirche, the Ringkirche and the Bergkirche. After the invitation to tender, the architect Friedrich Pützer, who had made a good name for himself at the Technical University in Darmstadt, was awarded the contract.
"A Mighty Fortress is Our God"
An impressive feature of the Luther Church is its fifty-metre high tower and a roof that caused a sensation even during the construction phase because of its dimensions and steel construction. Today, Martin Luther's words and songs adorn the main entrance in the tympanum: "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and "The Word They Shall Let Stand". The Greek letters Alpha and Omega in the zenith of the cross symbolize Christianity's conviction that Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of the world.
A church with two organs
Goldsmiths, sculptors, glass painters, decorators and medallists put the finishing touches to the Luther Church in Wiesbaden. In a church of which one says with pride in this city, it is something like a total work of art. The organ fits in seamlessly with this. It was built in the organ-building workshop of the Ludwigsburg firm of Walcker, which at that time had worked for the Vatican and whose quality characteristics could hardly be surpassed. The three-manual organ of the Lutherkirche is capable of conjuring up a romantic atmosphere. In the seventies of the last century the original organ was replaced by a new one, but the Walcker organ was also restored. Thus, this church now has two large organs and is a church music hub not only in the state of Hesse but also the home of the well-known Bach Choir Wiesbaden.
