Püha, Saare County
Püha is a village in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia.[1]
Püha | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Püha church | |
| Coordinates: 58°18′12″N 22°43′11″E | |
| Country |  Estonia |
| County | Saare County |
| Parish | Saaremaa Parish |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Before the administrative reform in 2017, the village was in Pihtla Parish.[2]
Püha Church
The church in Püha was founded sometime during the second half of the 13th century, and construction continued throughout the Middle Ages. The construction is similar to other medieval churches on Saaremaa, and includes an upper storey with a fireplace, intended as a place of refuge in times of trouble and accommodation for visiting pilgrims during times of peace. During the Livonian War, the church was burnt by Russian troops and very badly damaged, so that little of the original decoration survives. The altarpiece was made by local master carver Gottfried Böhme of Kuressaare in 1793 and displays similarities with the altarpiece in Riga Cathedral. The painting of the altarpiece is likewise the work of a local artist, Ludwig von Sass, while the pulpit is a neoclassical piece, dating from 1793.[3][4]
References
- "Lisa. Asustusüksuste nimistu" (PDF). haldusreform.fin.ee (in Estonian). Rahandusministeerium. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- "Saaremaa külad endiste valdade piires" (in Estonian). www.saaremaa.ee. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- Viirand, Tiiu (2004). Estonia: Cultural Tourism. Kunst Publishers. p. 181. ISBN 9949407184.
- "Püha St. Jacobs church". Saaremaa Museum. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
