Scientific Journal of Riga Technical University Architecture and Urban Planning
2010
Volume 4
A Lost Masterpiece of Religious Architecture in Jelgava Jānis Zilgalvis, Riga Technical University The altarpiece ‘Christ appears to Mary Magdalene’ (1910) was by painter Aleksandrs Romans (1878–1911), whose work shows a close similarity to the work of J. Rozentāls and J. Valters. He was particularly accomplished as a portraitist, but his landscapes are no less important. The clocks atop the church tower (1923) were made (or donated) by Eduards Eilenbergs [1; 2, 160]. The pipe organ was made in 1908 by the P.Grīnebergs Company of Szeczin. Because of its large dimensions, the church, which could seat 1500, contrasted markedly with the surrounding single-storey and two-storey houses (Figure 2). In the urban landscape the church rivalled the Catholic Church of St George (1904–1906, architect: K. E. Strandmann) and the Holy Trinity Church of the German congregation (1592–1615). In this way, the Latvian Lutheran congregation demonstrated its growing
Abstract – The synthesis of Gothic forms and the so-called Brick Style found expression in the construction of a new Lutheran Church in Jelgava (1904–1907, architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns, assisted by architect Aleksandrs Vanags). The decoration of the church exteriors is very restrained, testifying to Art Nouveau influence. There is some interesting evidence of the 1930s Neogothic furnishings in the Holy Trinity Church in Jelgava. Had this Neogothic church survived up to the present day, being a gem of the Eclecticism of that time, it would rank alongside outstanding churches in other styles, for instance, Dome and Riga St James Roman Catholic Church, both being monuments of Romanesque and Gothic. Keywords – architectural history, ecclesiastical buildings, Jelgava architecture, lost buildings.
In the 1830s the Neogothic, one of the formal stylistic movements within Eclectisicm, started to become established in Latvia. Gothic forms were utilised in religious buildings, manor buildings, townhouses, park architecture and elsewhere. This movement retained its popularity in the early 20th century, becoming closely intertwined with the so-called Brick Style. This style, in turn, relates to the expression of rationalist ideas in European architecture in the mid-19th century. Building material was recognised as being equally important to the architectural and artistic decoration, with the potential of replacing or augmenting the latter. Brick buildings became a symbol of the practical strivings of the age, and this material began to determine the artistic image of buildings of various functions. The synthesis of Gothic forms and the Brick Style found expression in the construction of a new Lutheran Church in Jelgava, at the corner of Dīķa iela and Mātera iela (Figure 1). The Church of St Anne in Jelgava (built 1638–1641, tower built in 1649) historically had two separate congregations: the Morning or Rural Congregation, and the Evening or Town Congregation. By the early 20th century the church had become too small for both congregations. Construction of a new church began in 1904, and the new church was consecrated in 1907. It was the largest Lutheran church in the Zemgale region. Originally, it was known as the Church of St Nicholas, in honour of Tsar Nicholas, but in 1937 it was renamed the Holy Trinity Church. The church was designed by architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns (1859–1928), assisted by architect Aleksandrs Vanags (1873–1919). The work was carried out by building contractor Ludvigs Neiburgs. Lithuanian artist Petrs Kalpoks designed the stained glass windows. (Together with many Latvian artists, such as K. Cīrulis, J. Jaunsudrabiņš, P. Kaleve, P. Krastiņš and others, P. Kalpoks (1880–1945) had studied at the V. Blūms Riga School of Drawing and Painting. Together with artists Jānis (Johans) Valters and Vilhelms Purvītis, in the early 20th century he lived and painted on the estate of Kazdanga in the Kurzeme region, the guest of the manor owner K. W. von Manteuffel).
Fig. 1. Jelgava Holy Trinity Church. [3]
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