Saturday, July 7, 2018

Churches of Tallinn, Estonia

Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral was built in the 19th century on the foundation of earlier churches. It was dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, Grand Duke of Novgorod who was considered a protector of the faith and guardian of warriors.

Church of the Holy Ghost is a Roman Catholic church built in the 14th century. It has the oldest bell in Estonia and the oldest clock in Tallinn.

St. Nicholas Church, the steepled church on the right, was built in 1315 by the German merchants of the city to demonstrate their wealth. When Lutheran reformers mobbed the church to burn their art, as had happened in many other churches in the 15th century, they were not able to access the church. Why? When the church was first constructed, it was part of the defense of the city and had extremely thick walls. In addition, someone poured molten lead in the door locks which prevented the doors from opening and saving the church interior from destruction. During World War II, it was mostly destroyed, but was restored in 1984. Most of the art had been removed so was preserved and today it is a museum and concert hall. Some religious ceremonies are held in the building, but they are from multiple beliefs. It gas hosted both Pope John Paul II and the Dali Lama for services.

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