St Olav's Church (Nõva Olevi kirik in Estonian),
is in the small village of Nõva, at the northern tip of Lääne County in
north-western Estonia. The original Lutheran church here became a chapel
of ease for the Holy Cross Church, Harju-Risti, in 1653. The present small
church was supposedly built in the eighteenth century. It is a typical
wooden church for the coastal regions of Estonia, and this example
is one of the smallest churches in the country - one of the very few
to have survived.
Due to their small size these churches were often
called chapels. Inside this one, which lies a little to the south of
the village's main street with a sizable graveyard surrounding it,
the altar and pulpit were built in the Gothic style. There are
benches designed differently depending upon whether they were meant
for men or women. On the eastern windows there are some parchment
paintings imitating stained glas, presumably originating from the
year 1836.
The Apostolic Church of St Mary Magdalene
(Maria-Magdaleena Apostliku Õigeusu kirik is on the north-east corner
of Rüütli and Linda streets in Haapsalu. The first Apostolic church
in the town, Holy Trinity, was built in 1756. This wooden
church was for military personnel in the town. It was closed in the
1930s, perhaps following a fire. The present church was opened here
in 1845, following fifteen years in a stone garrison. It was consecrated
on 21 July 1852.
One photo on this page contributed by Jordi
Escuer.
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