Nereta Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Lutheran Church of Nereta as a Cultural and Historical Value In 1545, there was a wooden church in Nereta, which was on the verge of collapse. In 1567, the Duke of Courland issued an order to build a new church. The foundations of the church were laid in 1584. The church was built by Count Wilhelm von Effern. The construction of the church was completed in 1593. On July 9, 1670, the tower burned down to the bell tower. The current tower was built on the old platform and is 38.67 m high. The church was built in the Mannerist style with a tendency towards late Gothic. The church is decorated with a beautiful 17th-century chandelier, which was donated by the Swedish Colonel Plettenberg after being saved in a battle as a thank you to God for protection. A special place in the church is occupied by the altarpiece “Christ on the Cross”, made by P. Handlers, and two stained glass windows made in 1900, “Christ in Capernaum” and “Ascension”. An organ built in Germany in 1893 was installed in the church. Over time, the church has suffered relatively little in wars and unrest. In 1812, French troops, passing through the Nereta River, set up a flour warehouse in the church. In 1817-1818, the church was restored after damage. After that, the church suffered most in the First World War, when hostages were imprisoned in the church during the reign of the Witnesses, and later a hospital was established there. In 1998, the National Cultural Heritage Board included the Nereta Church in the list of cultural and historical monuments of national importance.