Evang. Johanneskirche

High on a hill in Atzgersdorf, the Evang. Johanneskirche stands as a testament to resilience. This Art Deco gem, nestled at Dr.-Andreas-Zailer-Gasse 10, isn’t just a place of worship. It’s a story etched in concrete and glass. The Evang. Johanneskirche, completed in 1935, traces its roots back to a humble prayer station established in 1914. Services were initially held in the Liesing town hall. The congregation, part of the Evangelical Superintendency A.B. Vienna, grew, leading to the establishment of an independent parish in 1920. The land for the Evang. Johanneskirche was acquired in 1929. Architect Henry Lutz, taking over from Fritz Sobotka, gave the church its distinctive design. Inside the Evang. Johanneskirche, concrete pillars mimic the arrangement of Albrecht Dürer’s “Praying Hands”. Light streams through vibrant stained-glass windows. These windows, installed in 1965, depict the twelve apostles, Martin Luther, and Johann Sebastian Bach. The altar area was redesigned in 1984-1985. It features an altar by Wolfgang Herrmann and an oak door leading to the community center. This door showcases aluminum cast depictions of biblical scenes. These were created by Pfarrer Friedrich Preyer, who also designed a relief by the baptismal font. Three bells, inscribed with “Faith,” “Hope,” and “Love,” ring out from the church’s stepped tower. The Evang. Johanneskirche’s journey hasn’t been without trials. A bomb attack in late 1944 sent a railway track crashing through the roof. Further damage followed in 1945. Reconstruction began in 1946. The last bomb craters were finally removed in 1967. The community center, designed by architect Egon Bruckmann, was added in 1985. The Evang. Johanneskirche stands as a beacon of faith, having weathered both literal and metaphorical storms.