Ziegenbalg House Tharangambadi - A Museum on Intercultural Dialogue

His accurate and detailed studies on the Tamil language, the introduction of a gender-equal and well-structured education for boys and girls, Tamilians and Europeans alike, the systematic spreading of the printing press all over India, are renowned until this day. Thus Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg (1682-1719) was not only the first Lutheran Missionary, who landed in Tharangambadi in 1706, but far more

the initiator of a cultural dialogue that spread beyond religious, gender or national borders. Commemorating these 300 years of continous cultural dialogue, knowledge exchange and mutual interest form the main agenda of our museum project. Throughout a first stage, the historical Ziegenbalg House in Tharangambadi, then the living and working sphere of the Germans, will be authentically restored by INTACH Pondicherry. The second step includes the thorough realisation of an exhibition, screening 300 years of cultural dialogue and Indo-German heritage. This project is a cooperation between the Tamil-Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), the Evangelisch-Lutherisches Missionswerk in Niedersachsen (ELM), den Franckeschen Stiftungen in Halle und dem Ev.-Luth. Missionswerk in Leipzig (LMW). Die Bauarbeiten werden durchgeführt mit der freundlichen Unterstützung des Kulturerhaltprogrammes des Auswärtigen Amtes und dem deutschen Generalkonsulat in Chennai. Weitere Unterstützung erfahren wir durch die Vereinigte Ev.-Luth.