St. Jānis Lutheran Church

Liepājas iela 3, Aizpute

+371 28281449

Opposite the Aizpute castle ruins, on the right bank of the Tebra river, is the 16m high ancient Curonian mound (now Baznīckalns). In 1254, a church was built in the place where the German crusaders looted and destroyed the old Curonian castle. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church has been renovated and rebuilt several times and is currently considered one of the oldest church buildings in Kurzeme. Until the 16th century Catholicism was preached in the church, but later it was transferred to the Evangelical Lutheran church. In 1571, the first Lutheran pastor, Joachim Remling, arrived in Aizpute and worked there for 43 years. The church has been rebuilt several times - the tower was built in 1730, the altar in the 19th century. in the second half, but the church acquired its current neo-Gothic appearance in 1860. The church bell is also worth noting, which started ringing again more than 400 years ago (in 1589) after being melted down. The church has the organ built by the famous German company "Sauer" in 1904, as well as the paintings "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" (J.I. Eginks, 1833) and "The Crucified" (J.F. Wagner, 1864), to the right of the altar you can see the 16th century. the tombstone of Kurzeme bishop H.Bazedovs. Aizpute St. John's Lutheran Church is one of the oldest churches in Kurzeme, it is an architectural monument of national importance and is also included in the list of European cultural heritage.