evangelic church Gmunden

The Protestant Auferstehungskirche (Church of the Resurrection) was built between 1871 and 1876 in neo-Gothic style according to plans by Viennese architect Herrmann Wehrenfennig and has been a landmark in the Traundorf district ever since. The church was built from local reddish limestone. Slavonian oak was chosen for the interior. The altarpiece was painted by Dresden artist Andräe.

During the Reformation, the majority of the population of Gmunden was Protestant. It took almost 100 years before the Habsburgs expelled all non-Catholics from their lands.

After the Patent of Toleration in 1781, it took almost 90 years (1869) before a prayer hall with 250 seats was built in Gmunden. Our church was designed to seat 500 people – quite generous by Protestant standards in Austria. This was a wise decision, because a few years after the church was built, 200 Protestants arrived with the royal household of Hanover.

The construction was made possible not only by the financial and material contributions of the parishioners, but also by the support of members of the House of Hanover, the Saxon Gustav Adolf Association and many other sponsors. The royal house of Hanover actively supported the parish. Valuable parts of the interior fittings and furnishings were donated by the House of Hanover and its entourage.

It is noteworthy that, despite necessary renovations, the building has been preserved in its original condition without any significant changes. The rectory, also a listed building, was added in 1894.

You can find more information under Gmunden's treasures! (only available in German)

The Protestant parish of Gmunden, with its daughter parishes of Ebensee, Laakirchen and Scharnstein, now has more than 3,000 parishioners.