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Archive Import: :Significance: This church is closely associated with the historyand founding of the Hermannsburg Mission Society and also with the colonisation of these and other parts of South Africa by German Settlers.
History: The foundation stone of this church was laid on 1 April 1868. The building, designed in the Gothic Revival style, was consecrated on 23 February 1870. This church is closely associated with the history and founding of the Hermannsburg Mission Society and also with the colonisation of these and other parts of South Africa by German settlers.

The foundation stone of the Hermannsburg Lutheran Church (formerly known as the Peter-Pauls-Kirche) was laid on 1 April 1868. The church building was consecrated on 23 February 1870. On 5 May 1872, after a period of continuous rain, the tower collapsed. It was rebuilt in a modified fashion during September of the same year and the bells were housed in a steel and corrugated structure nearby. Over a century later, in 1974, a generous sum of money was bequeathed to the church for rehousing the bells. The joint architects, appointed for the project were Denis Claude and Walter Peters. It was intended that the bells be rehoused in a belfry to be incorporated in the fleche which is situated on the stump of the collapsed tower.
This church building is not only closely associated with the history and founding of the Hermannsburg Mission Society in South Africa, bat also with the German Settlers in Natal.
The building belongs to The Trustees for the time being of the Hermannsburg German Lutheran Congregation and was declared a national monument in September 1982.
Visual Description: Architecturally, the Church is a Gothic Revival church based on the parish church form so common in Northern Europe. The plan is a Latin Cross with the long axis aligned East-West: and the transept incorporating a side entrance and vestry aligned North-South of the short axis. The main entrance is from the West and the congregation faces to the East towards the sanctuary. The east-end is raised one step and contains the altar, the pulpit .and the baptism font, the entire sanctuary is enclosed in a polygonal apse. The west end has a timber framed gallery which accommodates the organ, the choir and on festive occasions a brass band. This gallery has a fine carved balustrade with simple Gothic aedicules.
The exterior walls of the church are of local sandstone and the ubiquitous corrugated iron roof is supported on sturdy timber. trusses with iron ties. The windows are small, Gothic-styled, and unembellished.
Plan is a Latin Cross; local sandstone walls; corrugated iron roof supported on timber trusses.
Colours:
Descripton: Plan is a Latin Cross:local sandsone walls: corrugated iron roof supported on timber trusses with iron ties:windows are small, Gothic-styled and unembelished.
Site Features: Gothic-styled windows
Condition: Good
Construction Date: 1868
Materials: coursed cut stone : corrugated iron
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