Schwartz Church is a church situated in Thanjavur, India. Constructed by the Danish missionary

Christian Friedrich Schwarz Christian Frederick Schwarz (with spellings including Friedrich and Schwartz or Swartz) (8 October 1726 – 13 February 1798) was a German Lutheran missionary to India. He was known for his linguistic skills, with knowledge of Latin, Greek, Hebre ...

in 1779, the church is a plain building with few distinctive features. There is a note to the effect that Major Stevens has laid a foundation stone for the church under nine feet depth. The length and breadth of this church is 90x50.Father Schwartz has conducted regular masses in this church from April 1780. John Flaxman an Italian sculptor who lived in London has sculpted this statue in 1807 on the request of King Serfoji II. This statue was installed in this church in the year 1811. This was known from the writings of Tanjore

Vedanayagam Sastriar Vedanayagam Sastriar of Thanjavur, poet-lyricist, court poet in the palace of Serfoji II Serfoji II Bhonsle ( ta, இரண்டாம் சரபோஜி ராஜா போன்ஸ்லே, mr, शरभोजी राजे भो ...

a court poet in the palace of Serfoji II who has recorded that this statue was installed in the year 1811 the year in which his daughter Gnanadeepam was born. He has further recorded that the white marble statue bearing the images of the King Serfoji II and Father Schwartz was installed in the big church in small fort called

Sivaganga Park Sivaganga Park is a recreational park in the city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India. It adjoins the Brihadeeswarar Temple, a popular tourist destination. History The Sivaganga Park was created as a people's park by the Tanjore municipality in ...

. In those days this church was known as big church.குடவாயில் பாலசுப்ரமணியன் (2009). தஞ்சாவூர் (கி.பி. 600 – 1850). அன்னம் வெளியீடு, தஞ்சாவூர், பக்கங்கள் 384+16. பக்கம் 178. (English Translation of the reference: Kudavayil Subramaniyan (2009). Thanjavur (AD 600-1850). Annam Publication. Thanjavur. Pp384+16. Page 178.) Within the precincts of the church is a 1797 sculpture of Schwartz on his death-bed with the Thanjavur Maratha king Serfoji II and the missionary

Guericke Otto von Guericke ( , , ; spelled Gericke until 1666; November 20, 1602 – May 11, 1686 ; November 30, 1602 – May 21, 1686 ) was a German scientist, inventor, and politician. His pioneering scientific work, the development of experimental me ...

beside him. Schwartz used to live in a house to the north-west of the church which has since been converted into a school.

Notes

References

* {{coord missing, Tamil Nadu Churches in Thanjavur district