About the Church
The Second Church of Sts Peter and Paul the Apostles in Žagarė is a distinctive sacred building, located in the small town of Žagarė, in Joniškis district. This church can be regarded as one of the most valuable monuments of Renaissance architecture in Lithuania, with particular historical significance.
The church was built in 1712 on the so-called Barbora's Hill. Masonry techniques specific to the architectural solutions of the period were used in its construction. The church stands out for its Renaissance features: a rectangular hall with three naves, separated by moulded wooden posts, thick plastered walls, segmental-arched windows and a tall Gothic roof. The main facade is adorned with a composition of three arched niches, giving the building an impression of monumental form.
This church's interesting history is linked to the memory of Barbora Umiastauskaitė (1628–1648). She was the daughter of the Žagarė manor owner Albrechtas Umiastovskis, who died very young and was buried in the church's crypt. It is thought that her life and death had a great impact on the local community, and a symbolic coffin was recreated in the church in her honour.
During its existence the church suffered from fires more than once. After the fire of 1605, which destroyed the old wooden church, it was rebuilt, but it burned down again in 1655 during the war with Sweden. The present masonry church was rebuilt after the fire of 1712, funded by Albrechtas Umiastovskis.
During the Soviet years, in 1963, the Old Žagarė church was closed, and the remains of Barbora of Žagarė were taken away to an unknown location. The church buildings were used as a grain store, and later a branch of the Šiauliai "Aušra" Museum was set up here. Only after the restoration of independence, in 1994, was the church restored and consecrated again.
Architecturally, the Second Church of Sts Peter and Paul the Apostles in Žagarė is an object of artistic as well as religious value. The church's interior elements are especially valuable: the high altar, the pulpit, a small Baroque-style processional altar, and the images of St Peter and St Paul in the chancel, painted or repainted in a modern manner. The details of these sacred buildings bear witness to the development of Baroque art in Lithuania and show how sacred architecture and interior art changed and developed over the centuries.
Today the church is not only a house of prayer but also an important object of cultural heritage, reflecting both the religious and the historical past of the Žagarė region. The Mass celebrated here every Sunday brings together local residents and visitors who wish to connect with this remarkable monument of history and architecture.
The church was built in 1712 on the so-called Barbora's Hill. Masonry techniques specific to the architectural solutions of the period were used in its construction. The church stands out for its Renaissance features: a rectangular hall with three naves, separated by moulded wooden posts, thick plastered walls, segmental-arched windows and a tall Gothic roof. The main facade is adorned with a composition of three arched niches, giving the building an impression of monumental form.
This church's interesting history is linked to the memory of Barbora Umiastauskaitė (1628–1648). She was the daughter of the Žagarė manor owner Albrechtas Umiastovskis, who died very young and was buried in the church's crypt. It is thought that her life and death had a great impact on the local community, and a symbolic coffin was recreated in the church in her honour.
During its existence the church suffered from fires more than once. After the fire of 1605, which destroyed the old wooden church, it was rebuilt, but it burned down again in 1655 during the war with Sweden. The present masonry church was rebuilt after the fire of 1712, funded by Albrechtas Umiastovskis.
During the Soviet years, in 1963, the Old Žagarė church was closed, and the remains of Barbora of Žagarė were taken away to an unknown location. The church buildings were used as a grain store, and later a branch of the Šiauliai "Aušra" Museum was set up here. Only after the restoration of independence, in 1994, was the church restored and consecrated again.
Architecturally, the Second Church of Sts Peter and Paul the Apostles in Žagarė is an object of artistic as well as religious value. The church's interior elements are especially valuable: the high altar, the pulpit, a small Baroque-style processional altar, and the images of St Peter and St Paul in the chancel, painted or repainted in a modern manner. The details of these sacred buildings bear witness to the development of Baroque art in Lithuania and show how sacred architecture and interior art changed and developed over the centuries.
Today the church is not only a house of prayer but also an important object of cultural heritage, reflecting both the religious and the historical past of the Žagarė region. The Mass celebrated here every Sunday brings together local residents and visitors who wish to connect with this remarkable monument of history and architecture.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Negatyve įamžintas Žagarės II-osios Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčios šoninis įėjimas.
Žagarės II-oji Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia pastatyta ant Barboros kalnelio. Bažnyčia garsėja Barboros Umiastauskaitės (1628–1648) atminimu.
Žagarės II-oji Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia.
Žagarės II-oji Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia pastatyta ant Barboros kalnelio. Bažnyčia garsėja Barboros Umiastauskaitės (1628–1648) atminimu.
Senosios Žagarės bažnyčia, kurioje ilsisi Šv.Barboros Žagarietės palaikai.