[189-?] www.zudusilatvija.lv The most impressive tourism novelty, without which the visit in Jelgava would be incomplete. Until 1944 it was The Holy Trinity Church – one of the first Lutheran masonry churches built in Europe, and the first masonry building in Jelgava. The church was the largest one in Semigalia and it belonged to a German congregation.
In 1574 Gotthard Kettler, the duke of Courland and Semigalia, ordered a new masonry house of worship to be built, and it is considered that it was designed by Dutch building master Joris Joriszn Frese. The church was consecrated on the 25th of May in 1615. In 1686–1688 the tower came as an addition to the church, and its architect was Martin Knoch. In 1862, under the supervision of the architect Emil Strauss, the tower had its height increased and together with the gilded cross, it measured 80.5 m. In July of 1944, during the air strike, the most of Jelgava was destroyed, including The Holy Trinity Church. Since then, only the Bell Tower was left and now after the reconstruction in 2010 it is open to visitors.
Exhibitions of Tower History allow to find out more about first presidents of Latvia, coming from Zemgale, to learn Jelgava from prehistory to its present day, to virtually walk former St. Trinity Church and to clarify how and what different ornaments are made on national costumes. On the 9th floor of the Tower it is possible to visit an exhibition of paintings and the sightseeing platform with a glass floor from which you will be able to enjoy the panorama of Jelgava city. The French restaurant "La Tour de Marie", a conference room and Jelgava Tourism Information Centre is also located here.
Free Entrance:
- Pre-school age children – Adult supervision
- First degree disabled persons and accompanying person – ID
- Second and third degree disabled persons – ID
- Jelgava municipality educational institutions school children – Every Tuesday (guide services not included)
- Group accompanying person – If more than 20 persons in group
- Jelgava Artists' Association members
www.visit.jelgava.lv/en