Holy Trinity Cathedral, Liepāja
Liepāja Holy Trinity Lutheran Cathedral is a historical Lutheran cathedral in Liepāja, Latvia. It is the seat of the Bishop of Liepāja, and principal church of the Diocese of Liepāja.
History
In 1742, the city council decided to build a church for the German community and commissioned the Königsberg architect Johann Christoph Dorn, who brought two designs to Libau. The community of Libau opted for the more elaborate of the two plans, despite the high costs, striving to surpass the Trinity Church in Mitau, the other large city in Courland. Mitau was the capital of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia and was dominated by the conservative nobility. Libau, on the other hand, was a thriving commercial city. Its church, to be built in a modern style, was intended not least to express the self-confidence of Libau's German bourgeoisie. The church was solemnly consecrated on December 5, 1758. The church interior and exterior architecture is built in the late baroque style with classic features. The cathedral interior is characterized by its Rococo features and luxurious furnishings with wood carvings and gold plating. The altar is 13 metres high and the cathedral is particularly notable for its organ with 131 stops, 4 manuals and over 7000 pipes, making it the largest mechanical organ in the world until 1968. It was the first large mechanical pipe organ in Latvia and was built by Henrich Andreas Contius in 1779.In 1865–1866, the building underwent its first major reconstruction – the original draft tower was raised on the two upper floors to almost 55 metres high. In 1906, the church installed a clock mechanism. Several changes were also made to the sacristy behind the altar; a new one was added.