Anglican Church (Riga)
The Anglican Church of St. Savior (Latvian Anglikāņu Sv. Pestītāja baznīca ) is a neo-Gothic church building in the new town of the Latvian capital Riga . It belongs to the Diocese in Europe of the Church of England and is located at Anglikāņu iela 2, in the immediate vicinity of the Daugava and the Riga Castle .
history
English businessmen lived in Riga in the early 19th century and English seafarers were part of the city's streetscape. In 1806 a British Poor Fund was founded with the aim of installing an Anglican clergyman in Riga and building a church. A first congregation was founded in 1822, but it took until 1857 before the foundation stone for a church building could be laid. A shipload of earth was brought in from England so that the new church could be built on British soil. The important city architect Johann Daniel Felsko was won over as the church's architect. In 1859 it was consecrated to the Holy Savior and in November the first service was celebrated.
After the Soviet occupation in 1940, the church was divested and from 1973 it served as a student club of the Polytechnic Institute . During this time the building was renovated and developed into a cultural center and venue for concerts and exhibitions.
With the independence of Latvia, the American missionary Arden Haug again founded an English-speaking congregation in Riga. In 1995 Juris Cālītis took over the parish office, after his retirement in 2014 Jāna Jēruma-Grīnberga became chaplain. Currently the church is known for its concerts of modern classical music performed by the organist Kristīne Adamaite and young Latvian artists.
Furnishing
The building, which stands free on all sides, was built in the neo-Gothic style using brick . The main facade with portal and bell tower faces the bank of the Daugava. The stained glass windows only show remnants of religious motifs, as these were removed during the Soviet period.
The placement of the church organ in the choir behind the altar is unusual . It was donated by American Lutherans after the church reopened. A plaque to the left of the altar commemorates British sailors who died during the Latvian struggle for independence in 1919. On the right side hangs a wall hanging that was woven by women of the community to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations . At the back of the church, photos commemorate visits by members of the royal family.
Church on the Dünaufer
portal
North facade and portal
back
Interior of the Anglican Church
organ
gobelin
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Web links
Coordinates: 56 ° 56 ′ 59.2 ″ N , 24 ° 6 ′ 7 ″ E