Harju-Risti Church, Padise, Estonia

The Church of the Holy Cross is a medieval Gothic style building with a peculiar shaped tower. Construction started in the 13th century and was completed in the first half of the 15th century. The church was originally built with a round tower, however during the first half of 17th century half of the top of the tower collapsed.

There are two tombs from the 15th century and a pulpit from the 17th century inside the church.

Reference: 7is7.com

User Reviews

Alexander Sudovykh (28 days ago)
Очень интересное место. Будете рядом - не поленитесь заехать. Понравится всей семье. Старинная красивая церковь. С органом. Можно подняться на башню непосредственно к колоколам, откуда открывается прекрасный вид на окрестности. Около церкви есть детская площадка, а в самой церкви детская комната. Также на втором этаже есть небольшое кафе, с очень атмосферной зоной отдыха, оборудованной непосредственно в нишах стен церкви. Кафе бесплатное, самообслуживание. Но не поленитесь захватить копеечку в качестве пожертвования, мне кажется, это правильно?

Kaupo Lepasepp (11 months ago)
Nice small church with rich history and warm people. Worth a stop, a walk in the church, yard and climb to the tower.

carol merzin (12 months ago)
Beatiful old small church

Dominic Arbuthnott (2 years ago)
Charming church with its own cafe and the ability to look at the vaulting. Worth a visit

Anton Purin (2 years ago)
Very friendly place, you can go to the tower, they even have little self service cafe there with coffee and cookies.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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The Abbey of Saint-Etienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes ('Men"s Abbey'), is a former monastery dedicated to Saint Stephen (Saint Étienne). It is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies" Abbey'), to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine.

Lanfranc, before being an Archbishop of Canterbury, was abbot of Saint-Etienne. Built in Caen stone during the 11th century, the two semi-completed churches stood for many decades in competition. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic architecture. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. The interior vaulting shows a similar progression, beginning with early sexpartite vaulting (using circular ribs) in the nave and progressing to quadipartite vaults (using pointed ribs) in the sanctuary.

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As a consequence of the Wars of Religion, the high lantern tower in the middle of the church collapsed and was never rebuilt. The Benedictine abbey was suppressed during the French Revolution and the abbey church became a parish church. From 1804 to 1961, the abbey buildings accommodated a prestigious high school, the Lycée Malherbe. During the Normandy Landings in 1944, inhabitants of Caen found refuge in the church; on the rooftop there was a red cross, made with blood on a sheet, to show that it was a hospital (to avoid bombings).

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