Rhenish Mission Church (Okahandja)
Rhenish mission church and cemetery in Okahandja | ||
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National monument in Namibia | ||
Monument type | Monument ( church ) | |
location | Okahandja | |
Geographic coordinates : | 21 ° 59 '3.9 " S , 16 ° 55' 7.5" O | |
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Emergence | 1876 | |
Recognized by the National Heritage Council |
20th December 1975 | |
Deprivation | ||
Sponsorship | ? | |
Website | NHC Namibia |
The Rhenish Mission Church with Cemetery in Okahandja (also known as Herero Church or Bantu Church ) is a church with cemetery in Okahandja in the central highlands of Namibia . It has been a National Monument since December 20, 1975 .
The area of today's city of Okahandja was first explored by Reverend Heinrich Schmelen , a missionary of the Rhenish Mission Society . He called it Schmelen Hope . A mission had been planned here since 1840, but it was only established by two missionaries around 1870. The church building followed in 1876 and was consecrated in the same year .
The church was used by the Rhenish Mission Society until 1952.
Church building
The mission church was built in the shape of a cross from local building material and bricks made by the company itself. The tall, narrow windows are a special feature. A small bell tower is located a few meters from the church building. Originally it was built with two bells, of which only one is left today.
graveyard
Behind the church is a small cemetery where missionaries , residents of the area and above all high-ranking Herero leaders are buried. These include Maharero and Nicodemus Kavikunua .
The Herero Day commemorative festival takes place every year at the cemetery .
literature
- Andreas Vogt : National Monuments in Namibia. An inventory of proclaimed national monuments in the Republic of Namibia. Gamsberg Macmillan, Windhoek 2004, ISBN 99916-0-593-2 .