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.
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.
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.