St. Peter's Church, Riga
The Petri Church ( lett Sveta Pētera baznīca ) is located in the center of Riga's Old Town, on the Pēterbaznīcas iela. The Petri church was the parish church of Riga in the Middle Ages. It is from an architectural point of view to a large, three-aisled basilica, built in the style of Brick Gothic.
History
The church was first mentioned in 1209 and served the community, consisting of Hanseatic merchants and the craft guilds, as a church and meeting place. In the uprising of the urban population against the Livonian Order of 1297, the building was briefly used as an arsenal and guard tower. Today, the oldest preserved parts are located in the high choir, this field was enlarged 1406-1409 after the then prevailing taste at altitude of 30 meters ( central nave ). The tags in the Gothic style were made from Rostock architect Johann Rumeschottel. He also added to give the building stability, added a crown of five chapels around the choir. The Riga citizenship was in constant dispute with the Archbishops of Riga to the exercise of power in the city. This also had an influence on this church conversion, for political reasons, had to be set of the construction to 1456. Only in 1473 was the sanctuary be completed. In competition with the Cathedral ( seat of the Archbishop ) should arise here a far grander church. The further expansion of Petri church was completed with the tower in 1491. With the introduction of the Reformation in Riga this peculiar race ended at the most magnificent church in the city. A new reconstruction took place in the late 17th century, when the western facade and the portals were renovated in the Baroque style. At the same time you renewed the church spire, it was enlarged to a total height of 64.5 meters. Over time the tower was three times severely damaged: he collapsed in 1666, was rebuilt but already in 1677 destroyed a city fire this new building and last met on June 29, 1941 artillery shells, the church, making these burnt out and collapsed the tower again.
The reconstruction began in 1973, while an electric elevator was installed, which takes visitors to the second gallery of the tower at 72 meters height. Today, the roof of the tower to prevent further fires of iron is made. When building a tower clock was installed in 51 meters height, she is like the previous work from 1746, playing every three hours a Latvian folk tune.
The church tower is similar to the German Church ( Tilsit ) and the Church of Saint Catherine (Hamburg).
The area surrounding the church
The looming on the western side of the nave, tower immediately adjacent to the "Lord Street " ( lett Kungu iela ) and the subsequent Town Hall Square with its Blackheads with Roland statue. The eastern side adjacent to the Convent, one of the oldest surviving building ensembles of Old Riga.
- Tower height: 120.7 m (formerly 130 m)
- Overall length: 78.8 m
- Maximum width: 34.9 m
- Inside height of the nave: 30 m
- Internal height of the aisles: 15 meters
About been handed down
For each reconstruction a glass was thrown from the spire. The number of fragments into which the glass is broken, the centuries symbolize that will stand the tower. In the second reconstruction, the glass fell into a pile of straw and broke in two parts. The last reconstruction in 1973, the glass is shattered into countless pieces; they say, therefore, that St. Peter's Church is now available to all eternity.