Who built a Gothic Lutheran church in the Caucasus 150 years ago, and Why did the Germans settle in these parts

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

This Gothic building looks very unexpected against the backdrop of the architectural buildings of the Caucasus. It is located in the capital of North Ossetia. However, it is interesting not only for its atypical architecture for these places. The former Lutheran church, and now the North Ossetian State Academic Philharmonic, located in the historical part of the city, reminds of the old neighborhood of Ossetians and Germans in Vladikavkaz.

Let's start with the fact that the Germans have lived in Vladikavkaz since pre-revolutionary times, and they occupied a significant place in the ethnic structure of the city. If we talk about Russia as a whole, then, in addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, settlements of German migrants arose in the past centuries in other parts of the country - in the 18th century they began to settle on the Volga and in the Ukraine, and then in the Crimea. German colonies appeared in Georgia and Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 19th century.

A little later, such a colony was formed in Vladikavkaz: in the second half of the 1860s, several dozen German families from the Saratov province arrived on the outskirts of the city. Then the Germans began to move to the city from other cities - for example, Nalchik and Pyatigorsk. They were officers of the Russian army, doctors, and representatives of other important professions. The government sold them land here on favorable terms, in addition, each family received a hundred rubles upon arrival in Vladikavkaz. In return, the Germans had to show the local residents how "exemplary farming" is conducted and demonstrate progressive methods of farming.

Gradually, the German sevens moved to other areas of the city. And if in 1876 there were 251 of them in Vladikavkaz, then in 1911 there were already 568 Germans living here.

In November 1861, when the German community petitioned the authorities for local Lutherans to be allowed to raise money for the construction of the church. The authorities met halfway and even gave them a special book to keep records of the funds raised. When the main part of the required amount was collected, another petition was submitted to the authorities - for the allocation of land for the church. The community members explained that there are many residents of the Lutheran faith in the city, and they need a place to pray. The future building was designated in the petition as "a church of beautiful architecture." The authorities again went forward.

At first, a not very remarkable building was erected. The beautiful church, which we can now see in the historical part of Vladikavkaz, was built here in 1911, and the townspeople immediately began to call it “the German church”. This is her name in the city and now.

No specific architect has survived for this magnificent building. It is only known that at that time it was typical - approximately such Lutheran churches in the Gothic style were built by the Germans in other parts of our country.

The Church in Vladikavkaz is the only building in the late church Gothic style, built in the south of our country. The church is made of red bricks, the roof is made of roofing steel. The tower has four tiers, which differ from each other: the higher the tier, the easier the composition. The tower looks like a Gothic narrow and high, tending upward, not only because of the narrowing of the tiers, but also because of the narrow pointed niches and buttresses.

The portal of the building is a Gothic arch supported by two columns crowned with capitals. The side facades of the building look very elegant due to the alternation of lancet windows with stepped buttresses.

Subsequently, the external appearance of the church was somewhat distorted by extensions, but in general, the appearance of the church was well preserved and, looking at it, it is difficult to make a mistake in its style. By the way, the height of the building together with the spire is 24.7 meters.

In the new church, Lutherans prayed and received registration documents for marriage and childbirth.

About those distant times, when the church was used for its intended purpose, is reminiscent of the inscription located near the bell tower "May God's grace not leave us." In the 1930s, it was "painted over" with plaster, and in our time, during the restoration, it has been cleaned again. Another culturally valuable find is a metal cross, which was found by builders between the beam and the wall (apparently, it was also hidden during the Soviet era).

This building is more or less lucky. It was not destroyed by the Bolsheviks. In the 1940s, the North Ossetian Symphony Orchestra was housed in the building, and then a philharmonic society was created on its basis.

At one time, many legendary stars of classical music performed within the walls of the church: here, for example, Svyatoslav Richter played, Valery Gergiev conducted.

Now services are not held in the Lutheran church, but local believers would very much like the authorities to provide them with the opportunity to attend the service and pray within these walls at least sometimes.

By the way, those who are interested in the unusual sights of the Caucasus will certainly be interested to learn about one mysterious place. it the Ossetian city of Dargavs, where there are more dead than living.