Lutheran Trinity Church, East Melbourne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lutheran Trinity Church
Church in 2012, with hall on right
Location	22 Parliament Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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The Lutheran Trinity Church in East Melbourne, Australia, is a special church with a long history. It belongs to the Lutheran faith. This beautiful church was built in 1874. It's so important that it was added to the Victorian Heritage Register on October 9, 1974. You can find it on Parliament Place, right next to St Patrick's Cathedral and near Parliament House. Many of the church services are still held in German.

History of the Church

Early Beginnings: The First Church

The story of the Lutheran Trinity Church began a long time ago. The first church building was finished in 1854. This first church was later replaced by the one you see today in 1874.

In 1853, the church was given a piece of land in East Melbourne. It was about half an acre, which is like half a football field. Money for building came from donations, a government grant, and a bank loan. The very first stone was laid on September 27, 1853. The church was officially opened on June 11, 1854. A bit later, in 1855, more land was given for the pastor's house, called a manse.

Building the New Church

By 1870, people started talking about making the church bigger. It also needed some repairs. The church sold some land to help pay for a brand new building. The first stone for this new church was laid on March 17, 1874. The completed church was officially opened on November 22, 1874.

Architects and Pastors

John Koch, an architect, was part of the church committee. He started making plans for the new church. But then, another architect named Carl Blackmann offered to design the church for free! His plans were chosen. John Koch later designed the pastor's house, which was built in 1890.

The first pastor of the church was Matthias Goethe. He started his work on March 25, 1853. After him, Hermann Herlitz became the pastor. He served the church for a very long time, from 1868 to 1914.

What the Church Looks Like

The church is built from a dark, strong stone called bluestone. It has a roof made of slate tiles that slopes steeply. The building is designed like a basilica. This means it has a long main hall with aisles on the sides.

The outside of the church is about 27 meters long and 13 meters wide. Inside, the ceiling reaches up to about 14 meters high. The church was designed to hold many people, from 370 to 500 at a time.

Inside the church, there are five pointed arches on each side. These arches separate the aisles (the side paths) from the nave (the main seating area). The arches are held up by columns. These columns have fancy tops called capitals with leaf-like designs.

Why the Church is Special

Heritage Listing

The Lutheran Trinity Church is very important. The church building, its hall, the pastor's house, the fences, and the land are all protected. They were added to the Victorian Heritage Register on October 9, 1974. This means they are considered important historical sites.

One reason it's special is that the church community has used this spot since 1853. Also, services have almost always been held in German. Today, there's an English service on the fourth Sunday of each month. German services are held on the other Sundays. The church building itself is also important for its design. It has a beautiful bluestone exterior and rich decorations inside. This includes a wooden ceiling and colorful stained glass windows made by Ferguson and Urie.

The Church Organ

The church also has a special pipe organ. It was first used on May 16, 1875. This organ is important because it was built by Robert Mackenzie. Even though it has been fixed up twice, it still has its original pipes and case.