About the Church
The Church of St Anne in Akmenė stands in the heart of the town of Akmenė, on the right bank of the Dabikinė, a tributary of the Venta. This imposing church is one of the town's most striking landmarks, and its spire can be seen from afar.
Catholic life in this area goes back a long way – a church on the Dabikinė is already mentioned in the 1561 inventory of Dirvėnai district. The earlier wooden churches did not survive: one burned down in 1705, and the other, having fallen into disrepair, was demolished in the early 19th century. The current masonry church was built in 1907–1912 to a design by the architect Karlas Eduardas Strandmanas.
The building was created in the Romanesque Revival style, built of stone and red brick, with a cross-shaped plan. The single tower, with its octagonal spire, reaches as much as 58.5 metres in height, and the facades are adorned with large pointed arches with rose windows. Five altars are set up inside.
The church is associated with the linguist and priest Kalikstas Kasakauskas, who served as parish priest here from 1836, while curate Ipolitas Savickis took part in the 1863 uprising and was exiled to Tobolsk. The churchyard is enclosed by a brick wall with Stations of the Cross wayside chapels.
Catholic life in this area goes back a long way – a church on the Dabikinė is already mentioned in the 1561 inventory of Dirvėnai district. The earlier wooden churches did not survive: one burned down in 1705, and the other, having fallen into disrepair, was demolished in the early 19th century. The current masonry church was built in 1907–1912 to a design by the architect Karlas Eduardas Strandmanas.
The building was created in the Romanesque Revival style, built of stone and red brick, with a cross-shaped plan. The single tower, with its octagonal spire, reaches as much as 58.5 metres in height, and the facades are adorned with large pointed arches with rose windows. Five altars are set up inside.
The church is associated with the linguist and priest Kalikstas Kasakauskas, who served as parish priest here from 1836, while curate Ipolitas Savickis took part in the 1863 uprising and was exiled to Tobolsk. The churchyard is enclosed by a brick wall with Stations of the Cross wayside chapels.