No 36007
Church
Church Latvia, Kurzeme

The churches of Kolka

Kolka Evangelical Lutheran Church. A story has survived of one Danish trader saved in a shipwreck at Kolkasrags who in gratitude built a church in Kolka. The church had changed its location for three times in Kolka. The foundation of the church visible nowadays and built of boulders was laid by Karl Ludwig Ferdinand von der Osten-Zaken, the former owner of the Dundaga estate. It was built instead of the wooden church (or close to it) which was heavily damaged during the Crimean War. The first construction works were started in 1885 by the construction foreman Otto Sievert (Architect: T. Zeiler). In the Soviet time, the church was vandalized and it was used as a warehouse. It is worth to see the modern- style altarpiece
(a donation of the artist Helen Heinrihson) which does not have a counterpart in any other church. Before in its place there was placed a cross.
Kolka Orthodox Church. Data on the Liv turning to orthodoxy are provided by a document found in the tower of the Kolka Orthodox Church (see also below) during restoration works (the nineties of the last century) that was placed there during building of the church in 1885. It says that the Liv turning to orthodoxy or the so-called emperor's faith "has nothing to do with the religious belief but it is a means to get the earthly benefits or pleasures." In 1885, the orthodox congregation purchased land from baron Osten-Zaken. In 1890, a church, priest's house and school building were built on it. All the buildings have survived until now. The church has its own congregation and worships are held once a month. Information is found that Kolka is the only Liv coastal village where in the nineties of the 19th century there was built an orthodox church. The church bell is place "occupied" in 1936. In the Soviet time, the Church was used as a chapel but nowadays it performs its original role.

Distance from countries capital city156