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Lithuania
Klaipeda County

Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Bernardine Monastery

Discover
Places to see
Lithuania
Klaipeda County

Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Bernardine Monastery

Highlight • Religious Site

Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Bernardine Monastery

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    July 26, 2025

    The Bernardine Monastery in Kretinga, Lithuania is the oldest monastery in Northern Lithuania. The monastery building is connected with the Church of the Lord's Revelation to Virgin Mary. The masonry buildings of the monastery and the church were built in 1605–1617.

    They were sponsored by a nobleman of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, on his wife's initiative, and the development of the whole town of Kretinga is directly tied to the establishment of the Bernardine monastery.

    The monastery and the church were raided by the Swedish army in 1659 and again in 1710; however, the post-Chodkiewicz ruler of Kretinga – Kazimieras Povilas Jonas Sapieha – took care of repairing the buildings and renewed the altar of the church. In 1907–1912 the church was rebuilt, two side naves were annexed and a spacious masonry transept was built, as well as a new wooden tower.

    The Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary mainly has Gothic and Renaissance features; however, Baroque characteristics are also present. In total, seven altars were created in the church during the 17th to 18th centuries, with carvings, sculptures, a decorated pulpit and painting of St. Anthony. Within the church some of the oldest organs in Lithuania can be found, which have been dated to 1774. Under the central altar, members of the Chodkiewicz family, the founders of the church, are buried along with the Franciscan monks.

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      Elevation 40 m

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      Wednesday 29 October

      11°C

      7°C

      20 %

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      Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

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      Location: Klaipeda County, Lithuania

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