Churches of Estonia

We are lucky to be blessed by my friend and fellow-traveler David. Today he is sharing pictures of Estonia’s many churches.

The tiny Baltic Republic of Estonia is a panoply of influences. Russia, Finland Germany, Sweden, and Denmark have all held sway over Estonia at one time or another. In this last century, Estonia spent over 40 years as part of the Soviet Union finally achieving independence in 1991. With each wave, their respective occupiers left their mark on secular architecture and the city’s many churches. While only about a quarter of Estonia’s 1.3 million citizens actually attend church, the buildings remain a testament to the nation’s once-vibrant religious past.

ce3 — View of the old town Tallinn Estonia’s capital city

ce15 — Everywhere you looked there were churches with seemingly endless spires

ce12 — St. Nicholas Church. Destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt as a museum

Saint Alexander Church in Tallinn built-in 1901 while Estonia was under the Russian sphere of Influence. One of the city’s most inspiring Churches.

ce10 — Station of the cross, St Michael’s church Tallinn

ce9 — 19th-century pipe organ St Olav’s Church

ce16 — St Mary’s Catholic Church Tartu, Estonia

Estonia was one of the last nation’s in Europe to be Christianized. Today, these beautiful churches are mostly empty. Despite this, the churches are still mostly well maintained and as long as they remain, there is a chance they will once again be filled. But for now, they wait.

5 Replies to “Churches of Estonia”