Evang. Pfarrkirche A.B. Zum Guten Hirten und Pfarrhof sowie Gästehaus

The Evangelical Church in Windischgarsten stands in the Upper Austrian market town of Windischgarsten. Built between 1951 and 1952, it belongs to the Evangelical Church A.B. in Austria and is part of the Kirchdorf an der Krems parish network. The building carries the official title Evang. Pfarrkirche A.B. Zum Guten Hirten and includes a parish house and guest quarters. It was placed under Denkmalschutz in recognition of its architectural and community significance. The church’s origins trace back to the 1781 Tolerance Patent of Emperor Joseph II, which allowed Protestant congregations to form in Habsburg lands. After the Second World War, the arrival of Protestant refugees from Transylvania and the Banat increased the local congregation to around 700 members. Without a church or parish centre, services were held in schools and homes until a plot of land was donated decades earlier. Under the leadership of Pfarrer Erich Schneider, construction began in 1951, and the church was consecrated in 1952 by Superintendent Wilhelm Mensing-Braun. The simple, functional design of the church and parish house reflects its post-war origins. Inside, the space is unadorned, with clean lines and a quiet atmosphere. The adjoining guesthouse, added in the 1960s, serves as a meeting place for youth groups and visitors. Nearby Schloss Klaus, now an international youth centre run by the Fackelträger community, supports the parish through volunteer work. The church remains a modest but meaningful landmark in the region’s Protestant history.