The church is located in a suburb of Riga, historically outside the main city walls, and thus unprotected in times of war or siege.

The rebuilt church was not damaged in the Russian siege of Riga (1656), although its bells and organ were stolen and taken to Russia.

Further expansion led to a rebuilding from 1778 to 1779, and a shift of location back to the exact site of the original stone church.

Finally from 1866 to 1869 the present stone and brick church was constructed to replace the wooden building.

[3] By the start of the twentieth century St Gertrude's recorded more than 30,000 church members, meeting as three distinct congregations.