The St. Paul Lutheran Kirche
The Lutheran Kirche is the oldest church in Vladivostok whose gorgeous Gothic building is a recognized valuable architectural monument and is one of the most beautiful ones in town. Built in unusual for the Russian Far east style, it invariably arrests attention and causes admiration of Vladivostok's locals and guests.
The Lutheran community formed in Vladivostok just five years after city's foundation. The then Primorsky Krai's military governor, counter admiral Gustaf von Erdmann took the lead in its creation. By the early 20th century, the community numbered over four thousand people: mostly admirals, officers, scientists, merchants, teachers and painters. Built in 1887, the wooden St. Paul Church became the first Lutheran temple.
Twenty years later it was replaced with the stone kirche (German for the 'church'). Lutheran Church's new building was designed by prominent German architect Georg Yunghendel who had also projected some other notable buildings in Vladivostok - the famous GUM, the building of the Far Eastern marine steamship line and the Brynner's mansion. Raised in typical for the northern Europe late Gothic style, the church was built predominantly on local, German by birth, businessmen's money.
The church functioned until 1935, when its building passed to the naval office. And in 1950, the exposition of the Military and History Museum of the Pacific Fleet was placed on its premises. Church's building was returned to the revived Lutheran community only forty years later and, then, its large-scale reconstruction started.
Today the Lutheran Kirche is reckoned among Vladivostok's most attractive buildings and very important cultural centers. Various events including organ music concerts are regularly carried out here.