Evangelische Kirche Hl. Kreuz

The Kreuzkirche am Ölrain stands on a rise above Bregenz in Vorarlberg. It occupies ground once used by a Roman settlement, linking past and present. The church was built between 1862 and 1864 to designs by Stuttgart architect Christian Friedrich von Leins in Gothic Revival style. In 1904 it became the first church in the k.u.k. monarchy to be both electrically lit and centrally heated. A cemetery surrounds the nave on its northern side, while the interior features an open timber roof and a wooden gallery. Inside, the choir holds a stone crucifix by Albert Bechtold from 1923, part of the First World War memorial. The hall-like space is lit by tall, pointed windows that echo the Gothic exterior. The organ, installed in 1981 by Rieger Orgelbau, fills the gallery with sound during services and concerts. Simple wooden pews face the altar, creating an uncluttered focus on the liturgical east end. Outside, the churchyard offers views across Bregenz to Lake Constance and the Alps beyond. The Gothic Revival façade combines red brick with light stone dressings, giving the building a quiet dignity. The gable roof and small tower rise above the tree-lined cemetery paths. Visitors often pause on the slope to look back at the town and water below.