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Home › Destinations › Northern Latvia (Vidzeme) › Ikskile church ruins on the St Meinard island

Ikskile church ruins on the St Meinard island

Canon Meinard of the Augustinian Order of Segeberg monastery of the town of Holstein started to build a church in Ikskile in 1184. Until the foundation of Riga in 1201 the church was the seat of the Bishop of Livonia, thoroughly rebuilt from 1879 - 1881, destroyed in 1916.

  • Ikskile church ruins on the St Meinard island
  • Photo: From the archive of Ogre district TIC
  • Ikskile church ruins on the St Meinard island
  • Photo: From the archive of Ogre district TIC
  • The church is easily reached, when the water level in the Daugava is lowered
  • Photo: Linda Ziedina

Now there is a 10 m high cross (artists E.Samovics) and a stone altar (sculptor J.Karlovs) on the island. For the purpose of conservation the ruins were covered with metal in 2002.
You can get baptised, married and receive other sacrament in the first holy place in Latvia on St Meinard island.
For more information call 65022458 or 26551206


 

Getting there: 

To visit the Ikskile church ruins the island can be reached by boat and a ferry. Boats - 29294478
In summer, when the water level in Riga Hydroelectric Power Station is lowered, you can also reach the island by foot.

 
56.809998, 24.517708
  • Address: 
    Ikšķile district, Ikšķile
  • Phone: 
    +371 65022458
  • Mobile: 
    +371 26551206
Services: 
  • Information boards
Amenities and Features: 
  • Free parking
Extra information: 
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=meinarda&m=text
http://www.draugiem.lv/ikskile1/contacts/
Last updated: 14.08.2012