St. James's Cathedral, Riga

The St. Jacob's Cathedral ( Sveta Jekaba Cathedral ) in the old town of the Latvian capital Riga is the bishop's church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Riga.

History

After the expansion of the city's fortifications from 1215, the church of St was. James the Great built as a parish church for the new North district. The oldest written reference dates from the year 1225th

1522 St. James was the second church in Riga, was preached in the Lutheran. The Polish- Lithuanian King Stephen Báthory she handed after the conquest of the city in 1582 the Jesuits. In the calendar unrest in 1584, most of the interior was destroyed by a mob. 1621 Riga was under Swedish rule; Jacob's Lutheran Church was again for the next 300 years.

After the First World War, the Baltic countries received their independence from the Tsarist Empire. The Holy See responded with the establishment of the Archdiocese of Riga. A plebiscite decided in 1923 that St. James was handed over to the Catholic Church. Since then, she's Metropolitan Cathedral. In German Baltic circles the name " Church of St. James ' was used.

Architecture and Facilities

Jacob's church was built in late Romanesque style of brick; later it was partially Gothicised. She is a three-aisled basilica with a recessed rectangular choir. Centrally above the west portal is the massive square tower of 80 m height with baroque copper hood. Despite the devastation of 1584, the cathedral is again rich in valuable features pieces from different eras today.