Salzburger Kirche (Salzburg Lutheran church)
In 1732, 12 thousand people from Salzburg were expelled for their commitment to the Protestant belief and immigrated to the Gumbinnen area.
In Prussia, Lutheranism was common; therefore, immigrants were freely able to practise their religion, so in 1754, the small wooden Salzburg church was constructed. In 1832, it was bored and a church made of brick was constructed at its place. On the left side of the altar, a wooden staff was placed to symbolize firmness and fidelity, which was similar to ones the immigrants of Salzburg used during their difficult journey to Gumbinnen.
The Salzburg church stood in its wooden form until 1945. During the battles for Gumbinnen, the church tower was destroyed, but the building had remained for more than 40 years and was used as a warehouse for the nearby road management.
In 1993, Russia and Germany reached an agreement to restore Salzburg Lutheran church.
In terms of architecture, Salzburg church is the decoration of the city and is always opened for numerous tourists.