Vidsmuiža Catholic Church

Bērzu street 2, Galēni, Riebiņi municipality
+371 65329064

The boulder-built church with two towers was built in 1910 and the construction works were fully finished in 1912. The church was consecrated in 1914. The church is a state-level cultural heritage.

The first church in Galēni was built of wood in 1743. The construction of the church was fully funded by landlord Borhs. The church existed for over 160 years and was 245 square meters in size. The new, boulder-built church was allowed to be built only in the place of the old, wooden church. That is why it was pulled down, moved over the road and restored. During the construction work of the new church, the old wooden church was used for church services. The church didn't have a tower by then, and only had a cross on top of it. After the new church was built, the old church served as a space for shop, a hall for choir repetitions and as an exhibition hall. After the World War II the church served as a space for shop and it was destroyed in fire in 1945.

The new boulder-built church was built by dean Staņislavs Žvegzda. It was built in two years – from 1919 till 1912. The landlord was very strict during the construction of the new church. He would ask for payment even for the water and gravel, that was used for the building. That is why the farmers took water from a spring and were getting gravel from afar. The construction was funded by the congregation. To build it faster, the floor is without a single elevation. And also because gravel was extremely expensive to buy from the local landlord. The construction of towers was also put in halt and has not been finished as planned. The dean gave a good wage for the workers, that is why some members of the congregation also took on the jobs at the construction site.

The church was built of split boulders with two towers of red brick. The zinc tin roof has a tiny tower above sacristy. The floor is made of concrete tiles, but the ceiling – from wood, in the arc arch they were plastered. Their weight balances on stone pillars, that split the church in three "navas".

The church has three altars, the largest one is in two storeys – upper and lower. The church still has items from the old church: paintings, chandelier, procession cross, that was donated by Monika Apeinis in 1907.

Around the presbytery church garden, in the left corner is installed a tower bell on top of a stone postament. It has been left from the times of the old church. There are 4 copper bells in the tower. One is 6 poods, other is 3 poods and the two remaing ones are half pood in weight.
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