The Prayer House of the Moravian Brothers
(Kuusalu palvemaja in Estonian) is on the north-west corner of Soodla
tee and Männi tee in Kuusalu, approximately three hundred metres to
the east of St Laurence's Church. The Kuusalu Evangelical Brethren
dates to 1818, but their rather attractive yellow wooden-slatted
building was only constructed in 1935, probably after more than a
century of meeting in private houses, as other minor congregations
still do in 2010.
During the Soviet period the congregation was
kicked out and the building used as a gym and a furniture store. In
1994, with the departure of the Soviets, the prayer house was reconsecrated.
The Moravian Church, an Evangelical Protestant nonconformist body, dates
back to 1457 in Kunvald in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). Today it
officially goes under the name of Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of the Brethren,
but is also known as the Bohemian Brethren.
The Church of St Catherine (Pühale
Katariinale pühendatud jumalakoda), Leesi, lies on the eastern side
of the road, north of the centre of this scattered hamlet. It is
difficult to see, as a large and heavily-wooded cemetery separates
it from the road. A chapel apparently existed here before 1678, by
which time it was already considered to be old. In 1853 it may have
been refurbished or rebuilt, but this seems to have been later replaced,
or built into the new, present church.
The present church was constructed in the
south-eastern corner of the village cemetery in 1865-1867, although
it is hard to be sure if the build was completely new. Consecration
took place on 17 September 1867. The original ministers for the chapel
also preached to the coastal areas of Kuusalu, and possibly still do,
although Leesi and Kuusalu have been separate parishes for many decades.
Gustav Terkmann built the organ which is situated in the west gallery.
The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary (Püha
Neitsi Maarja), Loksa, is on the south-west corner of Tallinna mnt
54 and Rahu tänav. The first religious building in Loksa was a chapel
with its own burial place which was located on the right bank of the
nearby river. The chapel existed by 1629, with the same dedication as
today. Probably the chapel was in a bad way when Count Karl Magnus
allowed Stenbock to build a new chapel, which was consecrated 27 August 1766.
The ground around the original chapel was hard
and dry, making burials tough work. Perhaps for this reason alone,
it was decided to build a new church in a different location in Loksa.
The present church was built in 1847-1853, sited at the eastern end of
a large and (now) heavily-wooded cemetery. The tower was the last section
to be completed, in 1850, but it took another three years to complete the
interior work. The church was consecrated on 27 September 1853.
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