Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg

Protestant Christianity in South India

• Location - Tarangambadi(Tranquebar), Tamil Nadu, India

• Timeline - 1682 to 1719 (Aged 36)

Ziegenbalg, a German, at the behest of the King of Denmark was sent to India on a mission to spread the message of Protestant Christianity. Ziegenbalg landed in Tranquebar in 1706.

The plaque at the landing spot of Ziegenbalg

Ziegenbalg preached at the Zion church and took upon himself the task of learning Tamil so that he can communicate with the locals effectively. He not only mastered Tamil language, he started translating the Bible in to Tamil language. He also imported a printing press and started printing Tamil manuscripts including the Tamil Bible.

The Printing press used by Ziegenbalg

The first translated and printed Bible in Tamil

Later, in 1718, he constructed a dedicated Church for the local people - The New Jerusalem Church, the first Tamil Protestant Church in India. Apart from the Church, Schools for Girls, Sewing centres for women, Hospitals were opened by the mission. Ziegenbalg died at a young age of 36 and is buried inside the new Jerusalem Church.

The plaque in memory of Ziegenbalg, inside the New Jerusalem Church

The house where Ziegenbalg lived and worked is now converted to a Museum where all his works are displayed

• Map Location (Ziegenbalg Landing spot)

• Map Location (Ziegenbalg Houe)

• Map Location (The New Jerusalem Church)

• Map Location (Maritime Museum)

• Visited - June 2025

© 2025 Samuel Premkumar