Martin Luther Cathedral, Daugavpils

Overview of Martin Luther Cathedral

The architect of the cathedral is Wilhelm Neumann. The church was built in 1892-1893. The cathedral is the residence of the Lutheran Bishop of Daugavpils in the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The current bishop is Einars Alpe.

The church was severely damaged in 1941 — the spire of the main tower burned down, and the tower structure itself was damaged. Restoration was carried out in 1941-1943, but the spire was made in an abbreviated version. In the post-war period, there was a warehouse in the church, then a boxing school was set up, a hall was rebuilt, and a second floor appeared.

In 1987, a fire broke out in the tower again, the tower and the roof burned down. In 1991, the church was handed over to the community of believers, and the reconstruction process began. The spire of the original height (52 meters) was restored. Bells were installed in the tower at a height of 20 meters.

Now the cathedral hosts regular services, exhibitions, lectures and seminars. Due to its excellent acoustics, the church has become a popular venue for concerts of sacred music. Today, every interested resident of the city has the opportunity to attend Bible teaching classes, prayer evenings, meetings for men and Sunday School. In the warmer months, the cathedral is open to tourists.