Tartu St Luke’s Church is a modern sacral building (architect Indrek Allmann), which is located in the Toomemägi area. Interesting facts: - Tartu St Luke’s Church was declared the best new building in Tartu in 2002; - the church is located on the site that used to belong to the famous professor of surgery Zoege von Manteuffel.
The first prayer house of Old Believers in Estonia is located in Kükita. The Kükita Prayer House was consecrated on September 14, 1740. During the war of 1812, the Cossack Old Believers donated a chandelier to the Prayer House. There were a total of 397 Old Believers in the list of parishioners of the Kükita congregation by 1833. The current Prayer House was built in 1948 in place of the one destroyed in World War II.Old Believers have services every Sunday and on all holidays (Christmas, Pascha and Epiphany).
The Miikse St. John the Baptist Church is a small wooden Orthodox church located in the southeastern corner of Estonia in Setomaa. What makes this church special is its story. It was built in 1953, during the Soviet era, when religion and church construction were not encouraged. However, the local people took a bold step and built the church themselves, often working in the evenings and at night to avoid the authorities' attention. Today, Miikse Church is once again a symbol of the strength and perseverance of the Seto community, where the local community restored the dilapidated sanctuary into a new and striking Seto church. The altar and icons were preserved, but the new facade features a lace-like pattern using Seto colors (red, blue, and sheep's wool white) and Seto belt patterns. The church's surroundings also include an old cemetery and sacred stones, which lend the place a special historical and spiritual atmosphere. The church is open once a month during service, and at other times, access can be arranged by agreement with the church elder (who communicates in Estonian and Russian). For a foreign-language tour of Setomaa, we recommend booking a local guide.
Construction of the Church of St Catherine in Võru commenced in 1793 during the reign of Empress Catherine II. It is thought to have been designed by the Livonian architect Schons, while the man responsible for the building of the church was Võru's own Johann Karl Otto. The church was surrounded with a formidable fence. It is famous for its cross-shaped floor plan, substantial bell tower, high dome-like secondary tower and arched windows. Designed in classicist style, it was completed in 1804 in honour of St Catherine. The grounds around the church were restored in 2008 and are now home to an open air exhibition of religious text-themed illustrations by artist Marje Ernits.
This church, dedicated to the archangel Michael, was completed in 1785. It stands on the shores of a man-made lake in Räpina and enjoys beautiful views over Sillapää castle and park. The walls of the church, which was constructed in Late Baroque style, are made from rendered natural stone. The front of the church is adorned with sculptures dating from the time of its construction, which symbolise Hope and Love.One of the church's most valuable assets, the two-part altar painting entitled 'The Appearance of the Risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene' and 'The Burial of Jesus', was painted by Carl Antropoff in 1871.
Tartu Old Believers Prayer House is a small and cosy house of God in the hall under the tower of a large and impressive prayer house destroyed by bombing during the war. This is the only part of the house the congregation has managed to restore by today. You can also see icons from the 19th century and the works of local 20th century icon painters in the Tartu Old Believers Prayer House.Service in Russian takes place at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Karula Church has been working in the converted manor granary since 1997. The most special feature of the church is the stained glass painting 'Eucharist' of Estonian artist Dolores Hoffmann which depicts local people as the disciples against the background of the holly landscape of Karula.The doors of the Karula Church are open to visitors during Sunday services. Please contact a representative of the congregation if you wish to visit the church some other time. Interesting facts: • The same building was used as an animal barn during the Soviet times. • The stained glass painting was donated to Karula Church by the descendants of the German squires the von Grotes.
St Zachariah’s and St Elizabeth’s Orthodox Church in Räpina is a neo-Classical oblong building consisting of three parts. In the Western part there is a bell tower and in the Eastern part a crescent-shaped apsis. A cupola with a tambour is in the middle of the building. The exterior of the building is in classical style, incorporating cornices and rustic work. Simple iconostasis of the 19th century catches the eye in the interior.