Tyska Kyrkan (German Church), Gothenburg

The German Church (Swedish: Tyska kyrkan), also known as Christinae Church (Christinae kyrka, Christinenkirche), is a building belonging to the non-territorial German Christinae parish at Norra Hamngatan, in the heart of Gothenburg. Named after Queen Christina, daughter of King Gustav II Adolf, it was inaugurated in 1748, and is currently used by both the German and Dutch congregations of Gothenburg.

The hall church is built in yellow brick, and its main building, including the chancel to the east (but not the tower to the west), is covered with yellow-colored plaster. Both, the brick tower and the chancel were designed by the Stockholm architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, the one who's also responsible for the creation of the Drottningholm Theater and parts of Stockholm's Castle. The altarpiece was designed by Louis Jean Desprez, and the chancel windows by Reinhold Callmander.

The church boasts an impressive carillon, built in 1961, with 42 bells in it. The largest of them was originally cast in Stockholm in 1687 and transported to Gothenburg by crown carriage. The third bell in order came in 1645; it was a gift from Governor Nils Assersson Mannersköld and Admiral Martin (Thyssens) Anckarhjelm. Unfortunately, all the bells melted in the fire of 1746, and were recast later on. On the large bell there is an inscription in Latin and German that reads:

Glory be to God in the high
It was fire that disturbed my roaring
When the city heard me with terror
A:o 1746 D 14 Jan
Fire gave me sound and clang again
A:o 1746 D 29 Aug
Learn dear Gothenburger all
The one with fire should read — know
Then I would like to burn it up
2 Pet. 3: v. 10
Today you hear, today read, David's clock,
Yes, let God's voice lure you
Your heart, o man, not to harden
Ps. XCV, v. 8th