- Address: Bauska, Bauskas pilsēta, LV-3901, Latvia;
- Year of construction: 1881;
- Architect: Janis Baumanis.
The building of the Orthodox Church in Bauska , dedicated to the all-Christian Great Martyr St. George, stands out against the general urban background. Some compare the temple with a "gingerbread house". It really is executed in warm colorful tones and differs by the refined eclectic architecture. Gently-blue domes are complemented by bright carved facades in neo-Romanesque style. At the same time, this rich external decoration is balanced by the rather modest interior decoration of the temple, which creates a feeling of complete harmony.
History of the temple
At the end of the 19th century, an Orthodox church was built on a hill in the vicinity of the Bauska castle. It was decided to dedicate her to the great Christian martyr St. George, who was brutally tortured and then executed for his faith, which he remained, is devoted to the very end.
Designed a temple known in Livonia, the provincial architect Janis Baumanis. Clearly seen the handwriting of the famous architect, who built the ideal canonical compositions and paid special attention to the refined decoration of the facades. The project of the St. George Church in Bauska was designed by Janis in 1878, and three years later it was already erected. He supervised all the construction works of the "stone master" from Prussia - F. V. Schultz.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, the temple towered majestically on a large hill surrounded by picturesque meadows and was visible from almost any part of the city.
In the Soviet years, mass development did not stop at anything, it absorbed this harmonious landscape. The first building near the church was the district party committee building, and then within a few years the wasteland turned into a densely populated and lively area. Around "rose" fences, apartment houses, shops and garage cooperatives.
In the 90s, the last gleam in the temple's surroundings was closed by the cottage house. Today St. George's Church in Bauska was completely clamped between nearby buildings.
Features of the structure
At the heart of the church's plan is a "cross". The center is crowned by a dome arch with a central light head. The "sleeves" of the cross overlap the arches of the cylindrical form, which represent a wide longitudinal arch. All the chapters have an onion-shaped traditional for Orthodox churches, although their original version was closer to the conical domes characteristic of the French romance.
In the facades of the St. George's Church in Bauska, the notes of Romanesque architecture of Germany are guessed. Noble red brick is combined with a light stucco.
The main features of the structure include:
- semicircular window openings;
- decoration of facades with small round niches (light holes), which is typical for Romanesque churches;
- division of facades with scapulas (lizens);
- double windows in the central part;
- absence in the interior of the pillars;
- angular symmetry in the decoration of facades;
- low bell tower;
- the decoration of windows with wide decorated slopes.
St. George's Church in Bauska has remained untitled. The old iconostasis was replaced at the end of the 20th century. Eclectic icons replaced the examples of modern canonical writing.
The interior decoration of the temple is rather modest and contrasts with the rich external architecture.
The church is open to the congregation daily, from 09:00 to 18:00. The entrance is free.
How to get there?
St. George's Church is located in the town of Bauska, on Uzvaras Street 5.
From Riga it is most convenient to get there by car. The distance from the capital to Bauska is about 70 km. The shortest route is the traffic on the motorway A7. Arriving at Bauska , it will be necessary to move to P103 highway, which is laid straight along Uzvaras Street.
You can also drive from Riga by bus. They walk quite often (almost every hour).