The Sarkaņi Catholic Church is on the western shore of Lake Cirms, and it was built of field stones in 1830. The church is famous for a painting of the Virgin Mary which is said to be miraculous. This is a popular destination for pilgrims as a result of this fact.

The church was opened in 1651 after half a century of sometimes interrupted construction.  It was fully rebuilt and took on its current appearance in 1876.  The church contains one of the most important church objects in Latvia – the oldest pulpit in the country (1590).  It was designed in the style of Mannerism.  The church also has a bell from a wrecked chapel of the local knighthood.  The bell was manufacture in 1450 and was installed at the church in the 19th century.  It is the oldest church bell in Latvia.  The German painter F. Wolff painted the altar painting, “Christ on the Cross,” and it, along with the altar, have recently been restored.

It is said that after a shipwreck near Cape Kolka, a rescued Danish tradesman financed the building of a church in Kolka in thanks for his rescue.  There are several churches in Kolka which have changed their location.  The stone worship house that can be seen today has foundations that were laid by the former owner of the Dundaga Estate, Karl Ludwig Ferdinant von der Osten-Zaken.  The church was built at or near the site of an old wooden church which suffered much damage during the Crimean War.  The work on the church was begun by builder Oto Zīverts in 1885 on the basis of a design by the architect T. Zeiler.  During the Soviet era, the church was vandalised, and a warehouse was installed there.  It is worth looking at the modernist altar painting by Helēna Heinrihsone.  It is said that there is no similar painting in any other church.  Before the painting was hung, a cross hung at its location.

Daugavpils – Krāslavas (A 6) ceļa malā redzamais dievnams uzcelts ar Plāteru dzimtas pārstāvju – Vaclava un Kazimira Plātera atbalstu 1811. gadā. Dievnamu ieskauj metālkaluma un no ķieģeļiem mūrēts žogs, kā arī divi zvanu torņi. Labās puses zvanu tornī karājas vecs zvans. No baznīcas iekārtas ir jāpiemin galvenais altāris, ko rotā Dievmātes skulptūra, trīs biktskrēsli, četras evaņģēlistu sienas freskas un Lurdas Dievmātes glezna. Ikdienā apskatāma no ārpuses.

This is the centre for Catholicism in Latvia and a destination for pilgrims from all around the world.  Its origins date back to 1699, when the Dominican Order established a cloister.  One year later, it built the first wooden church.  The brick Church of St Dominic and the buildings of the cloister were erected between 1768 and 1800.  The Baroque church is distinguished by two towers that are 60 metres high.  The pulpit, organ prospectus, organ, prayer bench and pews come from the 18th century, while the side altars date back to the early 19th century.  The central altar includes the painting “The Miraculous Mother of God of Aglona,” which is thought to have healing properties.  For that reason, it is unveiled only during important events.  In advance of a visit to Latvia by Pope John Paul II in 1993, the complex underwent major rebuilding and restoration.  On August 15 each year, hundreds and thousands of pilgrims arrive in Aglona to celebrate the assumption of the Virgin Mary.  The holy stream of Aglona is 100 metres to the East of the basilica.

The church was built from 1801 until 1804 by Fridrihs Veits from Cēsis.  At the centre of the altar is a painting, “Christ on the Cross,” which dates to the latter half of the 19th century.  The bell was cast in 1895, and the organ was built in 1914.  In front of the church is a 1930 monument to those who fell during World War I and Latvia’s liberation battles (sculptor Kārlis Zāle, architect Aleksandrs Birzenieks).  Restoration of the façade and interior of the church was finished quite recently.

Ein im gotischen Stil gebautes Gotteshaus wurde 1888 eingeweiht. Daneben befindet sich ein etnografischer Friedhoff aus dem 19 – 20 Jh. mit ungewöhnlichen Grabkreuzen aus Holz. In den Formen der Kreuze sind die Motiven von Pflanzen, Vögeln, Tieren zu sehen.

Церковь строилась с 1909 по 1913 год. Качество красного кирпича, используемого в строительстве храма, было плохим, поэтому с 1939 года заменено около 60 000 кирпичей! Храм считается одним из самых внушительных сакральных строений Латвии. В строительстве церкви применены декоративные элементы неоготического стиля, а в интерьере - алтарь, кафедра, хоры органа, молитвенные скамейкии изготовленные в наши дни исповедальни созданы в готических формах. Орган строился в 1931 году. Храм пострадал во время Первой мировой войны и был восстановлен в 1921 году. Осмотр церкви рекомендуется проводить в сопровождении гида.

Oldest (building started in 1227) stone church in Estonia. Unique christening stone in the Baltic States. Old painting on the walls.