Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (Rigas Sapju Dievmates baznica) description and photos - Latvia: Riga (Topic)

Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (Rigas Sapju Dievmates baznica) description and photos - Latvia: Riga. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Rigas Sapju Dievmates baznica.

Photo and description

The Riga Church of Our Lady of Sorrows is the first stone sacral building in Riga, built after the beginning of the reformation in Livonia. In its place stood a small chapel, consecrated in 1865. In 1875, the Austrian emperor Joseph II passed through Riga, who, having visited this small temple, was extremely surprised and outraged by the poor and unsightly appearance of the chapel. He donated an impressive amount of money for the construction of a more representative church.

The first stone in the foundation of the future church was consecrated in 1784, and a year later the newly built church in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows was consecrated, the service was conducted by Bishop Janis Benislavskis. The future emperor of Russia Paul I, Polish king Stanislav Poniatowski and other Polish magnates donated for the construction of the church. In addition, local Catholics provided financial assistance to the best of their ability. According to the instructions of Empress Catherine II, all buildings on the castle square, including the church, were to be built in the classicism style.

The constructed temple was a three-aisled building. There were three entrances to the church, the main one was located on the side. The church itself was made in the style of classicism, but some details belonged to the baroque.

In May 1854, the Russian emperor Nicholas I came to Riga, who, having examined the temple, declared that the building was not spacious enough, namely too narrow. The emperor's remarks accelerated the repair work. In 1858, a cardinal restoration of the building began, which lasted 2 years. The head of the reconstruction was the young and talented architect Johann Daniel Felsko.

The last reconstruction of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, as a result of which the temple acquired its modern appearance, took place in 1895. The project was designed by the German master Wilhelm Boxlaf. He gave the building a neo-Renaissance look and expanded it by completing the building for the baptismal ceremony.

As a result, the church acquired an elegant eclectic decoration, which has remained practically unchanged to this day. The height of the church, including the spire, is 35 meters. The main entrance is from the side of the Castle Square. The church is 48 meters long and 17 meters wide. The church, as well as at the beginning, has a three-nave form; in type, it belongs to the hall-type church buildings. The top of a three-story tower performing the function of a dominant, is crowned by a pyramidal spire.

Regarding the interior, it is worth noting that after repeated reconstructions, each of which has brought something of its own, that a bizarre mixture of all architectural styles took place in it. Here you can see the elements of classicism, in this style the church was originally made. The first restructuring brought in the elements of romance and Gothic, and the elements of the neo-Renaissance appeared later than all. The Church safely endured the periods of war and the Soviet era, all this time it was active.

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Topic: Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (Rigas Sapju Dievmates baznica) description and photos - Latvia: Riga.