Church Hill
Keeping the basic values - history and traditions is important for Daugavpils in order to understand its present and build the future. One of the most prominent symbols of Daugavpils is the Church Hill, a place that has gathered the churches of four confessions: Ss. Boris and Gleb Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Martin Luther Cathedral, Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary Immaculate conception and House of prayer of the First Old Believers’ Community. This place presents the city of Daugavpils in miniature, characterising it as a multinational and multifaith city.
Ss. Boris and Gleb Russian Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1905 on the site of the former Iron church, which was erected in 1866 for the needs of the garrison and was dismantled and rebuilt in Jersika in 1904. The three-aisled cathedral is rectangular in plan; at the east end it has five towers with bulbous cupolas characteristic feature of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are ten towers with cupolas in all, majority of them are gilded. A bell tower located above the entrance forms a single entity with the building of the church. The facade of the masonry church is richly decorated by wedge-shaped arches, pillars, cornices; an important role has the contrastive colours in the exterior of the church. Over the entrance of the cathedral there is a painted icon of Christ. The interiors include murals and icons. The frame of iconostasis is made of polished oak.
It has been suggested that the icons on the oak iconostasis of the cathedral are copies of works by Viktor Vasnetsov in St. Vladimir’s Cathedral, Kiev.
Another church located in the neighbourhood of the Church hill is the Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral, which was designed by architect Wilhelm Neumann, who served as the Daugavpils city architect in the years 1878 - 1895. The church was built in the years 1891 to 1893, consecrated in 1893.The church is built in eclectic style with Gothic elements in the facade decoration – pointed vaults and gables. There is a rose window above the central entrance. The red brick building of the church has an asymmetrical planning and a single tower. During the Soviet era the sacral building was used as a warehouse and a boxer sporting-club. The church was regained by its parish in 1992 and the repair work began.
The building of the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary Immaculate conception was designed by architect Wilhelm Neumann as well. It was built from 1903 until 1905. The church is a brick building, rectangular in plan, it has two sacristies adjacent to the apse. The twin-tower facade of the church displays expressive eclectic Neobaroque forms, interiors are decorated by cornices, pilasters and various framings of window openings. The entrance facade is adorned with a statue of the Virgin Mary. The eclectic style of the church is supported by the suitable interior and furnishings.
The House of prayer of the First Old Believers’ Community in Jaunbūve was consecrated in 1928 in honour of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicolay. The church suffered considerable damage during the Second World War (it burnt down during the bombardment of the city) and was reconstructed by the congregation after the war. In 1983 the church was renovated and installation of a new – six row iconostasis took place. There is a remarkable collection of icons in the church. Besides icons from the 19th and 20th century one can view several icons from the 17th and 18th century as well.
Coin design: Liga Cible
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