The Evangelical Church

Symbol of stormy times

The Evangelical Church, Highlight 2 of our tour of Hallstatt, lies directly next to the market square.

The fact that an Evangelical church can be found in the centre and a Catholic church somewhat further out bears witness to the historical dimension of Protestantism in Hallstatt and the surrounding area.

At first it is admittedly just a house of prayer that the Evangelical community is permitted to erect in 1785. Made possible by Emperor Joseph II’s so-called Patent of Toleration, allowing Protestants to practise their religion with certain restrictions.

For it is not until the second half of the 19th century that Protestants can enjoy spiritual and political equality, made possible by the so-called Protestant Patent of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The development of the prayer house into a Neo Gothic church begins immediately and is completed in 1863 after a construction phase of only 5 years.

According to the foundation deed, the costs of construction of the church amount to 37,000 guilders, around 400,000 euros today. The 500-strong Protestant community not only raise a large part of the money themselves, they also lend a hand with construction.

Enjoy now the 3 points of interest from Highlight 2, “The Evangelical Church”, and then continue your walk through Hallstatt. Highlight 3 is “The Catholic Church”. You will find out how to get there at the beginning of Highlight 3.