Frederik Lutheran Church

Across Norre Gade (Main Street) from the Grand Galleria is Frederik Lutheran Church, the earliest church still standing on St. Thomas [1]. Lutheranism was the official religion of the Danish colony, and while other faiths were tolerated, Lutheranism was encouraged.

The first Lutheran congregation met in the Fort Christian [2] courtyard. In 1754, a church was built outside the fort, but it was destroyed by a hurricane 18 years later. Work began on Frederik Lutheran Church in the 1780s, and it was dedicated in 1793.

The original church was in the simple Georgian style. It was gutted by fire in 1825 and rebuilt, with the addition of some Gothic-style trim. A hurricane in 1870 blew off the roof, which was rebuilt.