Vietalva Lutheran Church

The first wooden church in Vietalva was built between 1731 and 1732. The current stone church was obtained by the people of Vietalva in 1817. According to the chronicles of the Vietalva and Kalsnava congregations, the following is recorded about the construction of this church: ""Already in 1805, it was decided to replace the small wooden church with a larger stone one, but the French wars delayed the execution of this decision. Only on April 10, 1814, was it possible to sign a contract with the carpenter Fr. Siegel, who undertook to build a stone church 20 fathoms long and 8 fathoms wide within three years for the price of 5,666 rubles. The craftsmen and workers were provided by the carpenter, and the building materials came from the local landlords. As funds began to dwindle, the congregation contributed annually by paying 1 ruble and 10 kopecks per 'Achtler' (a land unit), until the debt was repaid. At the same time, organ master Tāls was constructing the organ for 550 rubles. For this purpose, the manors of Odziena and Vietalva each contributed 220 rubles, and Sausnēja Manor gave 110 rubles. Additionally, each manor contributed 130 rubles in cash for the church construction. The old wooden building was sold at auction, bringing in 86 rubles and 50 kopecks."" Architecturally, the church was a blend of several styles — the finishes incorporated elements of Classicism, Baroque, and Gothic. A remarkable masterpiece was the organ’s wooden carvings. During World War II, the church was devastated — the tower was destroyed, and the walls and roof were riddled with bullet holes. In the post-war years, the building was turned into a war museum. A restoration project was drafted in 1984. The Evangelical Lutheran Parish of the Most Holy Virgin Mary in Vietalva regained the church in the early 1990s, and religious services were resumed.