St. Mary's Church

The current building of Pöide Church is believed to be built on the remains of a chapel built in 13th century. After the conquest of Saaremaa in 1227, the eastern part of Saaremaa belonged to the Livonian Order, who built a fortress at Pöide as their headquarters during the second half of the 13th century. This fortress was destroyed by the Saaremaa natives during the wave of uprisings against the occupying forces that took place in Estonia and Saaremaa during St.George's Night Uprising of 1343. There was a chapel on the southern side of the fortress, and the walls of this chapel form the central part of Pöide church. For its massive form, it is called fortress-church.

The building was looted and burnt during World War II and also used as a storage building. The building suffered severe damages in fire in 1940, when lightning struck the tower. The large crack in the tower from the lightning can still be seen today.Pöide church has been renovated and reconstructed slowly since 1989. Choir-part, stone-altar and vestry room have been renovated. Several big tombstones inside the church are exposed behind glass, showing the importance of the church as a cultural center for nearby communities during previous centuries.

Reference: Wikipedia

Address

Pöide 10, Saaremaa, Estonia

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Religious sites in Estonia
Historical period: Danish and Livonian Order (Estonia)