Church of the Redeemer in Ruda Śląska

The Church of the Redeemer in Wirek, a district of Ruda Śląska, is a Neo-Gothic church of red brick with a single tower. It belongs to the Evangelical-Augsburg parish and is entered in the heritage register. It was designed by the Wrocław architect Felix Henry and consecrated in 1902.

How the parish came about

The Protestants in Wirek built their first chapel in 1855 with the help of Count Donnersmarck. After the local prison was closed in 1867, a larger prayer hall was set up in its building. Services were held in Polish and German, as in other Upper Silesian churches. The parish became independent in 1896 and began preparations for building a church.

Construction and interior

The foundation stone was laid on 23 June 1901, and the finished church was consecrated on 5 October 1902. Its interior resembles a Reformed church: the altar is above the pulpit, in front of it stands the font, the pews are arranged in a semicircle, and above the pulpit is the organ. The church neighboured a Catholic church and a synagogue. After it was built, a vicarage, a parish hall and a residential building were put up beside it. After a gas explosion in 1990 the vicarage and the hall were destroyed, and a new parish house was consecrated in 1995.

Nearby

It is not far from here to the centre of Ruda Śląska, and nearby lies the Museum of the History of the Polish People's Republic in Ruda Śląska. A little further away is the Guido Mine and Coal Mining Museum.

Practical information

• Address: ul. 1 Maja 291, Ruda Śląska-Wirek.
• It is a working parish church; arrange a visit to the interior with the parish. Service times and contact details are given on the parish website, wirek.luteranie.pl.