Old St. Gertrude Church, Riga

Old St. Gertrude Church, Riga

Located at 6 Ģertrūdes Street, Old St. Gertrude is one of the oldest churches in Riga. It is named after Saint Gertrude of Nivelles who lived between 626 and 659. Before the current, red brick building was constructed, the site was occupied consecutively by seven wooden churches, each named St. Gertrude and burnt down by invading barbarians.

The present, Neo-Gothic style edifice was designed by J.D. Felsko, a prolific local architect. Works on the temple started in 1864 and continued until 1869. The brick walls were left uncovered on purpose, whereas the façade and the spire got embellished with concrete decorations.

The building has the shape of a cross, featuring a nave, incorporating three segments, and a shorter cruciform nave. The church organ was custom bought in 1906 at a cost of 8,000 roubles. The instrument is still functional and is a great pleasure to the ears of multiple worshippers and tourists who come to the church every day.

Old St. Gertrude Church is surrounded by a number of Art Nouveau buildings which are also well worth seeing.

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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Old St. Gertrude Church on Map

Sight Name: Old St. Gertrude Church
Sight Location: Riga, Latvia (See walking tours in Riga)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Riga, Latvia

Create Your Own Walk in Riga

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.
Art Nouveau Architecture Walk

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

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
Riga Old Town Walking Tour

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

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Traveler's Choice of 12 Uniquely Latvian Souvenirs from Riga

Traveler's Choice of 12 Uniquely Latvian Souvenirs from Riga

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