Tartu's Alexander Church Partially Regains Historical Look with New Domes
Tartu's Alexander Church, which was under threat of collapse for years, has had new domes installed, partially restoring its historical appearance. Restoration work continues, with an exhibition near the church showing the progress.
After years of being under threat of collapse, Tartu's Alexander Church has partially regained its historical appearance. New domes were installed on the building on Thursday, 30 July, according to ERR's news program "Aktuaalne kaamera".
Renovation work has been underway since 2017, when the church was in an emergency condition and at risk of falling down. Priest Kristjan Otsmann said one of the hardest moments was lifting the large central dome. This year, part of the roof has also been restored together with the domes, which are topped with crosses covered in Lapland gold.
The new domes are only one part of the wider restoration project. Scaffolding will remain in place for a long time, as the windows and main entrance still need to be restored. To keep the public informed, an exhibition has been set up on the church fence. It will run until the end of September.
Church elder Merike Marina Naisson explained that the congregation needs community support, so it was decided to show people how the funds have been spent. The exhibition covers the church's history from 1914, including the Soviet era when the building housed a book repository, and ends with its return to the parish in 2003.
Naisson said it is the only Estonian-language Orthodox church in Tartu. The building has unique architecture — it is a two-storey church with five altars. No church of this architectural design exists in Estonia or across the Baltic states.
