About the Church
The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palėvenėlė is a unique architectural monument, standing in the quiet and picturesque setting of the village of Palėvenėlė, right on the right bank of the River Lėvuo. This church not only charms with its architecture but also has a rich history worth knowing for every lover of culture.
The history of the church's construction began as early as the late 18th century. In 1769 a wooden chapel was built here, but after it burned down, the manor owner Kazimieras Moigis decided in 1803 to build a sturdier masonry church in its place. Architecturally, this church is Classicist, with subtle Baroque elements. The church's hall measures 18.8 metres in length and 10.3 metres in width; it is single-nave, with two small towers and three altars, which lend the interior particular solemnity.
Over its long existence the church underwent quite a few changes. In 1910 the first major renovation took place, during which a sacristy was added. During the First World War the church was damaged, but it was rebuilt soon after the war. In 1923–1926 the priest Stanislovas Baltrimas oversaw the renovation of the church: the roof was re-covered, the farm buildings were completed, and finally the Palėvenėlė community gained full parish status. Later the first parish priest, Antanas Pauliukonis, continued the modernisation work, and the parish priest Kazimieras Pukenis went on improving the church's furnishings and farm infrastructure.
During the Second World War the church was ravaged again, but immediately after the war the parish priest Bronius Jareckas rebuilt the toppled small towers, restored the altars, and re-roofed the presbytery. At the same time the parish's spiritual community was strengthened.
The church's architectural features are also of great importance. It stands on square pillars linked by segmental arches, and the facade is adorned with a Classicist cornice of several mouldings. The churchyard is enclosed by a stone wall, and in front of the main facade of the church rises a bell-tower gate, also built in 1803. This gate is plastered white and blends harmoniously into the whole churchyard.
In 1992 the building complex of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palėvenėlė was entered in the Register of Cultural Property and became a state-protected object. This complex includes not only the church itself but also the bell-tower gate, both significant elements of Lithuania's cultural heritage.
A visit to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palėvenėlė can thus become not only a spiritual experience but also an excellent opportunity to get to know the treasures of Lithuanian architecture and history.
The history of the church's construction began as early as the late 18th century. In 1769 a wooden chapel was built here, but after it burned down, the manor owner Kazimieras Moigis decided in 1803 to build a sturdier masonry church in its place. Architecturally, this church is Classicist, with subtle Baroque elements. The church's hall measures 18.8 metres in length and 10.3 metres in width; it is single-nave, with two small towers and three altars, which lend the interior particular solemnity.
Over its long existence the church underwent quite a few changes. In 1910 the first major renovation took place, during which a sacristy was added. During the First World War the church was damaged, but it was rebuilt soon after the war. In 1923–1926 the priest Stanislovas Baltrimas oversaw the renovation of the church: the roof was re-covered, the farm buildings were completed, and finally the Palėvenėlė community gained full parish status. Later the first parish priest, Antanas Pauliukonis, continued the modernisation work, and the parish priest Kazimieras Pukenis went on improving the church's furnishings and farm infrastructure.
During the Second World War the church was ravaged again, but immediately after the war the parish priest Bronius Jareckas rebuilt the toppled small towers, restored the altars, and re-roofed the presbytery. At the same time the parish's spiritual community was strengthened.
The church's architectural features are also of great importance. It stands on square pillars linked by segmental arches, and the facade is adorned with a Classicist cornice of several mouldings. The churchyard is enclosed by a stone wall, and in front of the main facade of the church rises a bell-tower gate, also built in 1803. This gate is plastered white and blends harmoniously into the whole churchyard.
In 1992 the building complex of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palėvenėlė was entered in the Register of Cultural Property and became a state-protected object. This complex includes not only the church itself but also the bell-tower gate, both significant elements of Lithuania's cultural heritage.
A visit to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palėvenėlė can thus become not only a spiritual experience but also an excellent opportunity to get to know the treasures of Lithuanian architecture and history.