Ascension Lutheran Church, Savannah

Standing in Wright Square, look east across Bull Street. The Lutheran Church of the Ascension is the large pale building directly opposite the square, recognizable by its tall central steeple, round-arched windows, decorative turrets, and three arched entrance doors. Its appearance blends Romanesque, Norman, and Gothic influences. The congregation dates to 1741, although the present structure was erected in 1843 and extensively redesigned by George B. Clarke between 1875 and 1879.

During the Civil War, the church served as a temporary hospital. Soldiers reportedly slept on the pew cushions and burned parts of the wooden pews for fuel. The post-war reconstruction added an upper storey, enlarged the steeple, and transformed the building into the one we see today.

Enter from Bull Street and continue into the upstairs sanctuary. From the doorway, look straight along the central aisle towards the marble altar. Directly behind it is the church’s principal artwork: the Ascension Window, showing Christ rising into heaven above the gathered disciples. Created by the German firm Franz Mayer, this window inspired the congregation’s present name when the renovated church was dedicated in 1879.

Now, examine the tall stained-glass windows running along the north and south walls, to your left and right, as you face the altar. These later memorial windows illustrate episodes from the life of Christ and are especially effective when sunlight passes through them. Beneath the Ascension Window, inspect the marble altar and its painted interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.

Finally, turn around and look towards the rear of the sanctuary. Here, the Luther Window depicts the reformer Martin Luther defending his beliefs before the Diet of Worms. Above it is the circular Luther Rose Window, recognizable by its floral, wheel-like arrangement of colored glass. Together with the surrounding murals, molded decoration, and vaulted ceiling, these details make the interior as rewarding to explore as the church’s elaborate exterior.