Church of Zion Renovation

Founded as a Danish colony in the 1600s, Tranquebar (now Tharangambadi) is home to the oldest Protestant Church in India, the Church of Zion. The church’s design is a mix of Dutch Colonial and Indian Forms. Msaada was commissioned to oversee and implement the restoration of the church. The work was extensive, including re-plastering of walls and ornamental band work, and restoring the granite stone floor and woodwork.

The architectural redesign involved balancing the Danish donor’s preferences for historical authenticity with the knowledge of the local conditions. For instance, a special type of plaster was developed that would fare better in the long term, given the Church’s location close to the humid conditions of the Bay of Bengal.