The land for the new church was received as a gift by the Tartu City Council in January 1911.

The church was designed by the famous Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and was built in the Art Nouveau style.

Construction began in 1915 and the cornerstone was laid on 31 May; the church was consecrated on 1 October 1917.

After two years of interior finishing, the church was again blessed on 9 November 1919 by Bishop Jakob Kukk.

The sculpture was the work of Amandus Adamson and was made out of Carrara marble and was 3.5 meters high.

It was called "Come to me you who are weary and burdened" and depicted Jesus with Mary Magdalene on his right and Jericho on the left.