Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Austin

Gethsemane Lutheran Church, located in the heart of Austin, is a well-known Lutheran church, famous for its architectural beauty and historical importance. The church has been recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is also included in the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, the church's building is used for office purposes by the Texas Historical Commission.

The design of Gethsemane Lutheran Church is a fine example of Gothic revival architecture. It was designed by August Swenson and built by Fredric Reichow, with S. A. Carlson overseeing the construction. The church is a visually impressive structure with a two-story hall made of tan bricks, built on a solid limestone foundation and basement. It is crowned with a unique gray pressed tin roof. One of the church's most striking features is its square bell tower and steeple, rising from the front center of the building.

The church's sanctuary has a rectangular east-to-west layout, with the main entrance on the east side featuring a Gothic arch with a stained-glass transom window over the wooden double doors. The tower's second level showcases a stained-glass lancet window, topped with a cornice. Above it, the tower changes into an octagonal Carpenter Gothic cupola and belfry, ending with a conical roof and a cross-shaped finial.

The exterior bricks of the church are historically significant, as they were taken from the remains of the second Texas State Capitol after a fire in 1881. Also, the church's main doors have their own historical value, originally from the University of Texas at Austin's Old Main building, which was demolished in the 1930s.