Schwartz Church, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu India

Schwartz Church is a church situated in Thanjavur, India. Constructed by the Danish missionary Christian Friedrich Schwarz in 1779, the church is a plain building with few distinctive features. Within the precincts of the church is a 1797 sculpture of Schartz on his death-bed with the Thanjavur Maratha king Serfoji II and the missionary Guericke beside him. Schartz used to live in a house to the north-west of the church which has since been converted into a school. 

The Schwartz church is one of the important old structures in India that were built during the British reign in the country. Schwartz Church is located in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur boasts many religious spots, one of which is the Schwartz Church.

Thanjavur was believed to be ruled by the Cholas and Nayaks. Cholas built a number of edifices here in the city. After the Nayaks it was the Marathas who conquered Thanjavur and ruled as this city as capital for nearly 179 years until 1749 when the English marched into the city to gain power.

The French attacked British in the city to conquer it in 1758. These multiple occupancies and the fight to conquer this place symbolize the wealth of the city. And it was during this time of French occupancy the Schwartz Church was built.

Another major attraction in the vicinity of the church is the Shivanganga Tank that stands to the west of the church. The construction of the church took place in the 18th century and reflects the glorious past of Thanjavur. It was commissioned in 1799 by the priest of the Christ church Reverend Frederik Christian Schwartz. He was also a member of the Danish missionary. 

The architecture involved in the Church also reflects the French touch in it. The arches, the front elevation and the door way bring forth the French architecture extensively. The western end of the church holds a remarkable marble tablet that was gifted by Serfoji II, then Maratha ruler.

Schwartz Church was by constructed by Raja Serfoji, the Chola King, in 1779 AD. Seated in the Thanjavur Palace Garden, it was constructed by the King in an effort to show his fondness and respect for the Danish Missionary, Reverend Frederick Christian Schwartz. Schwartz Church is still seen as a sign of open-mindedness and tolerance by Chola rulers towards various religious beliefs.

In the Church, there is a monument or the tablet executed by John Flaxman on the orders of the Raja of Thanjavur that shows the King holding the hand of the dying missionary whilst receiving his blessing. The monument is in white marble and is a popular attraction for tourists.

A legacy of Thanjavur’s colonial past, Schwartz Church continues to be cited as an important shrine by believers of the Christian Faith of the God’s work being carried across the seas by those entrusted with it.