Church of Jesus, Riga

The Church of Jesus in Riga is a Lutheran temple. Its original building was constructed in 1621 by the Swedes in celebration of their victory over the Russian army. The Russians didn't take long with a vengeance and in 1656 promptly “settled the score” with the Swedish Crown and destroyed the structure. Several more buildings were erected on the site over time, each sharing the fate of the first Church of Jesus. The current wooden building was erected in 1818-1822 to a design by architect H. F. Breitkreic. It is the biggest wooden church in Latvia and one of the biggest in Europe, reaching 27 metres high. Its predecessor, dated 1733, was razed by the Russians in 1812 out of fear of a Napoleonic attack.

The interior of the church is painted white and red and features a row of balconies for an additional space. Large columns decorate the interior and four similar columns support the façade.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Olgerts V.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Riga. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Church of Jesus
Sight Location: Riga, Latvia (See walking tours in Riga)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Riga, Latvia

Create Your Own Walk in Riga

Creating your own self-guided walk in Riga is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Riga Old Town Walking Tour

The area that is home to present-day Riga has hosted inhabitants since the days of the Vikings. With a sheltered natural harbor nearby, the River Daugava made Riga a stop on the Vikings' Dvina-Dnieper trade route to Byzantium.

Trade allowed the area to flourish, and the Livs, a Finnic tribe, settled it. In the early Middle Ages, the town's economy revolved around fishing, trading, and... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles

Art Nouveau Architecture Walk

An architecture lover in general and that of Art Nouveau in particular will find plenty to look at in the quiet center of Riga. Jūgendstil (Latvian: Art Nouveau) architecture makes up roughly one third of all buildings in the heart of Latvia's capital. In fact, the city boasts the highest concentration of Art Nouveau structures anywhere in the world.

Constructed during a period of rapid... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

Historical Churches and Cathedrals

One great thing about Riga is that the majority of its religious sites are concentrated in the historic center. A variety of faiths found in the Latvian capital is fairly broad for such a small country and includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Lutheran, to mention but a few.

The 13th-century Riga Cathedral is perhaps the most significant house of prayer in the city. The imposing mix of... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

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