In the restored Jelgava Holy Trinity Church tower, it is possible view interactive and enthralling exhibitions, enjoy a panoramic view of Jelgava and receive tourist information.
Anyone who visits Jelgava Holy Trinity Church tower, which was restored in 2010, can uncover something new at each step.
The tower in nine floors:
Find out!
In three of the tower’s floors, historical exhibitions have been set up with interactive elements, which serve as an excellent example of the correlation between past and present:
- The exhibition National Dress in Zemgale presents the history of national dress in Zemgale, the various designs and color tones, as well as the process how these national costumes are made.
- The exhibition Jelgava and Holy Trinity Church through the ages tells the history of Jelgava, the reconstruction process, as well as what has been recovered during archeological digs.
- The historical exhibition Zemgale – the cradle of Latvia’s presidents, is dedicated to four Latvian presidents who have hailed from Zemgale, as well as residents of Jelgava who have been bestowed municipal and state awards.
Observe!
On the ninth floor of the tower, it is possible to view the panorama of Jelgava walking on glass floors. The exhibition hall also features rotating art exhibitions.
Ask!
A tourism information center is located on the ground floor of the tower, where anyone can receive information about tourism opportunities in Jelgava, Jelgava Region and Ozolnieki Region. It is also possible to purchase local souvenirs here as well.
Participate!
Various creative workshops, thematic tourism evenings, concerts, exhibitions openings and other events are organized at the tower on a regular basis. It is possible to find out more about these events on the tower’s official web-page.
History of the tower
The Holy Trinity Church in Jelgava was once one of the first Lutheran churches in Europe built with stone. It was constructed in 1574 by order from the Duke of Courland Gotthard Kettler.
Up until the end of WWII, it was the largest church in Zemgale featuring one of the main features of Jelgava’s skyline – an 80-meter high renaissance-style church tower.
Unfortunately, after the church was destroyed in 1944, it was never restored, however, the church tower remained in place. After extensive reconstruction, Jelgava Holy Trinity Church tower was reborn.
Interesting facts:
- The church tower is the oldest remaining structure in Jelgava.
- The height of the tower is 50-meters.
- The glass viewing platform, from where it is possible to view Jelgava from above, is located 37-meters high.
- There is a fountain sculpted by Janis Aivars Karlovs in the former central nave of the Holy Trinity Church. The fountain, called Trinity, is a symbol of the most important core values in Christianity – the union of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
