Gallery: Tartu St. Mary's Church tower consecrated by archbishop
Archbishop Urmas Viilma consecrated the tower of Tartu St. Mary's Church on Thursday after a three-year renovation which cost €2.1 million.
The money for the renovation work was donated to the church's foundation by entrepreneur Janek Veeber, the city of Tartu as well as private individuals and businesses. The construction process began in 2021.
In the future, the group wants to carry out work on the rest of the building.
"Next, we want to renovate the roof and carry out work on the load-bearing structures," said Silvia Leiaru, the leader of the foundation. The cost is estimated to be €1.5 million.
Leiaru added that life has restarted in the church. Services are held every Sunday and youth work also takes place there.
President Alar Karis was also present at the consecration, who in 2005 signed the protocol of joint intentions on behalf of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, with which the church was later returned to the congregation.
Tartu Maarja Church was the first church in Tartu built by Estonians. It functioned for just under 100 years before it was damaged during a bombing raid by the Soviet forces on July 12, 1941.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Helen Wright
