City Church

City Church is a Protestant church in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Constructed from 1718 to 1726 by master builder Donato Giuseppe Frisoni, the church is built in the baroque architectural style.

While commonly associated with Catholicism and the counter-Reformation period, the church’s baroque architecture makes it a truly unique structure. As such, it is the only baroque-style Protestant preaching church in the Wurttemberg region.

During construction, the parish added a deanery house in 1720. A city tinker was hired to manage the bell towers. Along with three assistants, he managed the church music, performed “blowing in at baptisms” and gave music lessons to children. They were also tasked with ringing the bells three times a day.

Reaching 85 feet high, the bell towers provided both timely sounds to the city and a home to the church’s tower guard. Small rooms in the south tower served as living space until 1925 and a small stove with a flue still exists today.

While the bell towers stand tall and magnificent above the town square, it’s the church’s organ that brought the most music to the parish. Built in 1859, the organ has 51 registers and has seen extensive instrumental adjustments to the pipework over the years.

Today the city church has 2,300 members. Its newly renovated choir chapel is used for children’s services and small ceremonies.