Aglona Basilica, Aglona, Latvia

At the end of the 17th century, the Dominican Order established a monastery in Aglona and built the first wooden church. After the church burnt down in 1699, a stone monastery building and the present church were built in its place in 1768-1780. The interior of the shrine was created in the 18th-19th century, but the pulpit, the organ, and the confessional were built at the end of the 18th century.

The church houses an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, and artistic treasures, including the famous icon “Our Miraculous Lady of Aglona”, which is uncovered only during religious festivals. The painting is considered to have healing powers. In 1993, Pope John Paul II visited Aglona sanctuary. Extensive renovation works in the church and improvements of the surrounding amenities were carried out prior to this visit.

Every year on the 15th of August, pilgrims congregate in Aglona to mark the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven.

References:

Latvia Travel

Address

Krāslavas iela, Aglona, Latvia

See all sites in Aglona

Details

Founded: 1768-1780
Category: Religious sites in Latvia
Historical period: Part of the Russian Empire (Latvia)

More Information

www.aglona.travel
www.latvia.travel
sacredsites.com

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Dinaburga Castle Ruins (29,9 km)
Rezekne Castle Ruins (46,5 km)
Varaklani Palace (55,4 km)
Preili Palace (25,1 km)

User Reviews

Marek Kiik (12 months ago)
Holy place. All for peace

Giedrius Markulis (14 months ago)
Beautiful Basilica, sacred place.

Liigah Thrower (2 years ago)
Growing up, I often saw groups trekking through our village towards Aglona, a journey of over 180km. While unfamiliar with the pilgrimage, I’ve heard tales of miraculous healing. My first visit at 16, during a mass, showed me a ground filled with people and glowing candles. The church’s beauty was undeniable, yet it was nearly impossible to enter. On a recent visit, we were lucky to join a group tour inside the church. I recommend checking for this option, as it’s insightful. The interior boasts stunning gold paintings, icons, vases, and intricate carvings. Don’t miss the nearby holy lake - come with empty bottles to collect the sacred water. While we missed the shop, we filled our empty bottles and flask with valuable water. Note that toilets are available but not marked.

Richard Vanags (2 years ago)
Beautiful large church in a small town setting...

Sergei Vasiliev (2 years ago)
Holy place, make sure you wear appropriate clothing and don't go inside the cathedral in flip flops. Plenty of parking space, especially weekdays. Toilet available. Take some bottles if you want to get some water from holy stream.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Infomastern

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Visby Cathedral

Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.

Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.

There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.

Aglona Basilica