The church was built between 1742 and 1578 after a design by J.K. Dorn and for the needs of the local German congregation.  The 55 metre steeple was completed only in 1866.  The façade and interior of the church are in the style of late Baroque and Classicism (with elegant Rococo elements inside the church).  The church is known for the organ that was built by H.A. Koncius between 1773 and 1780.  Since a reconstruction in 1885, the instrument has more than 7,000 pipes, 131 registers and four manuals.  It is suggested that it is the largest mechanical organ in the world, and its sound is just wonderful.  Visitors can visit the church, examine the organ and climb the steeple.

The church was built during the rule of Baron Otto Hermann von Fittinghof and built between 1781 and 1788 by the architect Christoph Haberland.  Built in the style of Classicism, the church has elements of the Baroque style and a set of colourful rocks in a mosaic on the façade.  The organ was built in 1855 by August Martin, and the bell was evacuated to Russia during World War I.  The congregation replaced it with a much older bell (1530).  The altar painting, “Baptism of Christ” was pained by an unknown artist and was restored in 2000.  During the mid-19th century, there were many Estonians in the congregation, so worship services were held in Estonian, too.  The church was restored in 1934, and now it dominates the city with its 55.5 m high tower.