Source Wikipedia:
(de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valjala)
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Martin's Church is the oldest religious building on the island of Saaremaa and probably the oldest known church building in Estonia. As early as 1227, a chapel was built on the site on a square floor plan, which is still preserved in the walls of the choir. It may have been built on a burial site of pagan Estonians after the Christianization of Estonia.
Between 1241 and 1265, the church was extended and a nave with three vaults in the Romanesque style was added. All three portals of the church also have Romanesque round arches. The former chapel with its figurative wall paintings of the apostles was converted into a choir as part of the extension. After the uprising of the local population in 1261, the church was converted into a fortified church. The upper part of the building then has Gothic pointed arches for the windows and vaults. The main portal on the west side is decorated with a Wimperg. It was probably badly damaged during the St. George's Night uprising in the 14th century.

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Ronald F 🇩🇪

October 11, 2024

The church was further developed in the 1360s. Several renovations and extensions followed later. The tower dates from the 17th century; it was built on the former sacristy. Some remains of older, trapezoidal gravestones are incorporated into the walls of the tower. The baroque tower roof was built in the 1770s, but was destroyed after a lightning strike in 1922 and replaced by a new one four years later.
The massive Romanesque baptismal font from 1270 is one of the oldest and most artistic of its kind in Estonia. "He lets the tendril motif meander and roll along the Kupa in a masterly manner. This grows out of a strong column base, the four smaller side columns of which symbolize the four holy rivers." The baptismal font was possibly made for the cathedral in Haapsalu and only later brought to Saaremaa. It was probably made by a master from Westphalia. The sculptural work is very similar to the decorations on the north portal of Riga Cathedral.
A 13th-century wall painting has been preserved on the north side of the choir. The altarpiece and the Empire-style pulpit are works by master carpenter Nommen Lorentzon from Kuressaare from the 1820s. The altar painting dates from the second half of the 19th century.
Early Baroque epitaphs made of dolomite stone commemorate local pastors such as Andreas Fregius (1664) and Caspar Berg (1667). Church windows from the 1970s are the work of the Estonian glass artist Dolores Hoffmann. The organ from 1888 (by the Estonian organ builder Gustav Normann) was renovated in 2004.
After Estonia regained independence, the church was extensively restored between 1992 and 1994. The parsonage is located next to the church.

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Elevation 30 m

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Location: Saare, Estonia

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