Stāmeriena church

Architectural monument of national significance.

It is the only Orthodox church in Gulbene district. Stāmeriena Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church is part of the Stāmeriena manor building complex. The need to build an Orthodox church was determined by the fact that part of the population of the parish had converted to Orthodoxy, and Sofia Potemkin, the wife of the manor owner Johan Gottlieb von Wolf, also belonged to this faith. Before this church in Stāmeriena existed its predecessor - a small wooden building with 250 places of worship. Due to the use of poor quality building materials, it quickly deteriorated. The celebration of the foundation of the new Orthodox Church took place on June 29, 1902, but its construction was completed in 1904. The old church was also demolished during this time. The new church had 650-700 places and its construction cost more than 35,000 rubles. After World War II, services were stopped and a warehouse was established in the church.

The church is built in the style of classicism with ascetic decors. It has gilded crosses above the domes of silver plates, large mountain crystals embedded in the crosses.

At the end of the 1980s, at the initiative of the Cultural Foundation, renovation work was started on the church with the aim of installing a small concert hall. Lack of resources hampered the implementation of this intention.

At the end of 1995, an Orthodox congregation resumed its activities in Stāmeriena, which is determined to put the building in order. On December 3, 1995, after a break of many years, the first service was held, conducted by Father Vladimir. This was possible by working diligently and hard, with faith, hope, and love.

Zintis Vībāns, the chairman of Stāmeriena parish, proposed to restore the operation of the church, the deputies also supported it, but Aleksandrs and Irina Sazonovi got to work hard.

In 2001, at the initiative of the congregation, the roof of the church was restored. Reconstruction of the building facade was started and completed the following year. A bell was made for the church, which was made at the Minsk metal foundry by special order.

On June 29, 2002, the church celebrated 100 years since the foundation stone was laid.

In 2003, the church was authentically restored with colored tiles.

June 6, 2004 will mark the 100th anniversary of the church's consecration. According to the project of landscape architect E.Vīksniņa, the surroundings of the church will be greened. It is planned to bring the surroundings of the church closer to its former form, a fence will be built, opposite the entrance to the church - a gate, a well-groomed lawn with various trees and ornamental shrubs and a hedge.

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