Lutheran Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Põlva

When in Kasepää Village near Lake Peipus, go and visit the prayer house of Russian Old Believers, which has been operating without interruption since the 18th century.The current prayer house was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It was designed by the governorate architect Wilhelm Schilling in 1902. The Florov school masters renewed the icons of the iconostasis in the prayer house before the Second World War. Some of the icons in the chapel date back as far as to the 17th century.Prayers are held in the chapel in Russian on Sundays at 10 a.m.

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.

The church was built of natural stone and bricks in 1907. Lithuanian and Polish railway workers were actively involved in building the church. The church operated until 1940 and from 1945, the building was used as a warehouse and later as a gym.The extension of the church was built in 1995 and the church was renovated. Interesting facts: * the church does not have a tower as the imperial government of Russia refused to give permission to build one.

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.

The church dedicated to St. Martin is located on the Estonian Pilgrim Route, which starts from Pirita Monastery and ends at the Vana-Vastseliina Episcopal Castle. There is also a prayer bench in the churchyard.Come and see one of the oldest parish churches in Estonia. You can also can go to the spire, which offers a unique view of the beautiful Lake Võrtsjärv and the surroundings.Good to know:• The Church participates in the Wayfarers Churches and the Night of Churches projects.• The night battle from the feature film Names on a Marble Slab (2002) was filmed in Rannu Church garden.You can visit the church on Sundays during the service or by prior arrangement.

Of the Orthodox churches in Võru County, Ritsiku church in Mõniste is the second oldest (dating back to 1855). The oldest is St Catherine's Church in Võru itself.The church in Ritsiku was consecrated in the name of the prophet John the Baptist. Its name day is celebrated by the congregation every year on 24 June.The congregation was established in 1837. The church was constructed from timber and has a tin roof. It was originally known as Mõniste church, since it was located on the lands of the Mõniste estate. But since it was not in Mõniste itself, it was renamed Ritsiku church in Mõniste.The sacristan and parson did a lot of work in educating the local community. Until 1931 the congregation had its own parish school and three smaller schools.

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.

The Vastseliina manor chapel, popularly called the Liphardt tomb chapel, is situated in the old cemetery of Vastseliina (also known as the German cemetery). The chapel was completed in the same year as the current Vastseliina church, in 1772.The Liphardts, one of the wealthiest noble families of Livonia, governed the entire Vastseliina parish from Misso to Orava and ruled Vastseliina for seven generations. In addition to Vastseliina, the family also owned several other manors, including the Raadi manor.The Vastseliina manor chapel is one of the most remarkable examples of early classicist rural chapels.Visitors are welcome to see the exterior of the chapel only.