St. Mary’s Church in Rõuge

Tartu's Gothic-style St. John's Church dates back to the 14th century, making it one of the oldest churches in Estonia. It is known for its unique terracotta sculptures, which are considered rare in all of Europe. The church once had over 1,000 handmade terracotta statues; about 200 have survived. Each sculpture is different, which has led to speculation that they may depict Tartu's former inhabitants or other important people. The tower of St. John's Church offers a wonderful view of the entire historic old town of Tartu. It houses two bronze bells, called Peter and Paul. On the last Sunday of every month, the church holds a service in English!

It is believed that the Raja congregation of Old Believers was established in the first quarter of the 18th century. The congregation was given permission to build its own church only in 1879. The church was destroyed during the Second World War – the only thing left is the belfry. The present worship house has 11 rooms. In 1854–1930 Gavriil Frolov lived in the worship house. He taught children icon-writing, reading and writing in Old-Slavic, also singing based on old musical notation.

Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Torma is a late baroque trapezoidal aisleless church. The completed church was blessed in 1767 and in 1868, it was made more pseudogothic.There is a cup-shaped pulpit and people compare it to Noah’s ship. Services are held at the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Torma every Sunday at 11 a.m.

St John’s Church is an eye-catching building; its architect was Friedrich Siegel. There is an altar painting Christ on the Cross (A. Bauer, 1857) and a pseudo-Gothic altar, and two nationally protected wooden candlesticks (1810) and an armchair from the birch wood dating from the 18th century. On top of the spire there is a morning star. Interesting to know: St John’s Church in Kanepi was built in 1804-1810 to replace the old wooden church. In 1831 the church was set on fire by lightning. The church in Kanepi has been in its current state since the year 1877.

After the Second World War, the Baptist congregations in Tartu joined the only remaining Baptist church: the Kolgata congregation, whose chapel was opened in 1931.In 2013, the congregation moved from the old prayer house located in Karlova district to a modern church building (completed in 1995) at the edge of the centre of the city due to lack of space. The first service in the building on Veski Street took place on 10 November 2013, when the Kolgata congregation celebrated its 112th anniversary.The congregation belongs to the Union of Evangelical Christian and Baptist Churches of Estonia. Services in Estonian are held on Sundays at 11 a.m. and in Russian at 1 p.m.

Obinitsa Church was built deep in the Soviet era: 1952, when the country was led by Comrade Stalin. The people's desire for a new sanctuary (the old church was given to the school) was so great, that it bypassed the politics of the day. The Obinitsa Church's main holiday is 19 August - The Feast of the Transfiguration - and thousands of people visit the church that day to remember their ancestors and spend time with a relatives. People have been buried in Obinitsa Cemetery for at least 1,500 years. The oldest burials are marked by small stones located in the western part of the cemetery. The well-known Seto singer Hilana Taarka and the creator of the Obinitsa Museum, Lidia Sillaots, are buried in this park-like cemetery.

Construction of the Tartu Uspenski Cathedral started by the order of Peter I after the Northern War and it was consecrated in 1783. The church was established on the foundation of the Dominican Convent Church. It was initially built in the shape of a cross and was given its quadrangular shape in 1840. Interesting facts: - a chapel to St Isidor, who died as a martyr, was established in the church in the course of its extension; ‑ the Bolsheviks killed 19 innocent people in the cellar of Krediidikassa 80 years ago. Their victims, archpriests Bleive and Berzhanitski, are buried in Uspenski Church.

You are welcome to admire the Gothic red brick house of God (architect Wilhelm Schilling). The Church of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the only Roman Catholic church in Tartu. The cornerstone was placed in 1862 and the church was consecrated in 1899. You will find the painting "Virgin Mary with Jesus" (1905) by Ernst Friedrich von Liphardt and a large crucifix carved of lime tree (1935) in the high-vaulted church.Interesting facts: - even Tsar Nicholas II donated 3000 roubles for the construction of the church in 1894 when Priest Friedrich Zhyskar started raising funds for building the church.