Evangelische Kirche Laakirchen

The Evangelical Church in Laakirchen stands in the town of Laakirchen in Upper Austria. Built between 1961 and 1964, it belongs to the Protestant parish of Gmunden and is part of the Evangelical Church in Austria. The church is also called the Trinity Church. Its plain design reflects the functional style of the 1960s. The church’s history began with the 1781 Tolerance Patent, which allowed Protestant communities to form in Habsburg lands. After the Second World War, Protestant numbers grew in Laakirchen due to resettled Transylvanian Saxons. A plot of land was bought in 1956, and the church was dedicated in December 1964. A community centre with a hall and offices was added later. Inside, the church holds a 650-kilogram bell named after Philipp Melanchthon, cast in Innsbruck. The organ, rebuilt in 1966 from old pipes, has 476 pipes. The interior and exterior remain simple and practical. The church is one of several Protestant buildings in the Gmunden district, where many towns have their own churches.