Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The Cathedral of St. Simeon and St. Anne is the Orthodox Cathedral of Jelgava. The origins of the church date back to 1711, when Frederick William, Duke of the Curonian Spit (1698 - 1711) promised to build an Orthodox church in Jelgava. During the reign of the Duke's widow, Anna, his court counsellor Pēteris Bestuževs ordered in 1726 the construction of a wooden Orthodox church near the Duchess's castle. A stone building was then constructed between 1774 and 1780, designed by the architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. During the Baltic russification period from 1890 to 1892, with the financial support of the Russian Emperor Alexander III, the cathedral was completely rebuilt according to the project of the architect Nikolai Chagin. During the Second World War, when the Red Army attacked in August 1944, the cathedral was destroyed and the church remained in ruins. After Latvia's independence, the church was returned to the Latvian Orthodox Church and restored (1993-2003).

The Orthodox Cathedral of Karlovac was completed in 1803 and is dedicated to St. Nicholas. As the Serbian presence developed in Karlovac in the 18th century, the community needed a place of worship. Its construction began soon after the community received permission to build their church in 1785. During the Second World War, the cathedral was severely damaged, but not demolished. All religious objects were removed from the temple, and the building was turned into a warehouse for looted Serbian property. After decades of abandonment and looting, the church was renovated in 2001.

Dendrochronological studies have shown that the Orthodox chapel of Võõpsu was probably built in 1710. The restoration of the chapel was completed in 2010, allowing the building to reopen the following summer.

The Orthodox Church of Turku was built by order of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855) from 1839 to 1845. Built at the same time as the Helsinki Cathedral, the church has the same Russian neo-classical style. Inside, the church's iconostasis icons were painted by Turku-based painter Berndt Abraham Godenhjelm.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Arad is an Ashkenazi synagogue that was built in 1920 by architect László Dömötör. This Art Deco brick building still serves as a synagogue.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Braşov is a synagogue built in 1924. This vernacular brick building is now abandoned.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Bratislava was built between 1923 and 1926 by architect Artur Szalantai-Slatinský. This Art Deco brick building still serves as a synagogue.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Makó was completed in 1870, restored between 1999 and 2002. This brick building still serves as a synagogue.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Nové Zámky was completed in 1859. The synagogue was restored in 1931 and in the 2000s. This brick building in the Neo-Romanesque style still serves as a synagogue.

The Orthodox Synagogue in Prešov was completed in 1898 by architects Kolásk and Wirt. This brick building in the Neo-Romanesque style now serves as a cultural centre.