Orthodox Church of Holy Spirit / Šv. Dvasios cerkve - Vilnius (Lithuania)
N 54° 40.532 E 025° 17.416
35U E 389755 N 6060028
The Church of Holy Spirit (Šv. Dvasios cerkve) in Vilnius historic centre, a distinctive example of Orthodox Baroque architecture, is the spiritual centre of Lithiuanian Orthodox Christians.
Waymark Code: WMGQXG
Location: Lithuania
Date Posted: 04/02/2013
Views: 9
The Church of Holy Spirit (Šv. Dvasios cerkve) in Vilnius historic centre, a distinctive example of Orthodox Baroque architecture, is the spiritual centre of Lithiuanian Orthodox Christians.
The church was built on the site of a former wooden shrine which stood here in the late 16th century. The present Baroque building, in the shape of a Latin cross, was constructed in 1638. It was rebuilt, especially in the interior, after fires in the 18th century (1749-1753) by the architect Johann Christoph Glaubitz, who created an impressive late-Baroque and Rococo iconostasis with paintings, columns and stucco mouldings. During the 19th century small neo-Byzantine elements were added, but the magnificent Baroque manifestation remained predominant for this church.
The Church of Holy Spirit is the principal Orthodox Church in Lithuania. The male and female monasteries next to the church are the only working Orthodox monasteries in Lithuania.