Schwartz Church, Thanjavur

Schwartz Church was 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.