{"id":1798,"date":"2025-06-04T18:02:34","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T18:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/?post_type=product&p=1798"},"modified":"2026-03-07T16:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T16:16:54","slug":"house-of-the-vanadzinis-copy","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/visi-stasti\/house-of-the-vanadzinis-copy\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer House"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The small and cozy C\u0113sis Anna Church or Prayer House hides centuries-old history that began even before the actual building was constructed. Where this architectural element of C\u0113sis old town stands today, an empty lot stretched out in the 17th century. 1693. The 1693 city house lot registry mentions that there was a garden plot here, which the council had given to their servant, but later it belonged to someone named Visman. At the end of the 18th century, the first building appeared in this spot \u2013 in 1786, tenant and master carpenter Martin Friedrich B\u00e4rer bought a wooden residential house from inspector Johann Ulrich Lange. After B\u00e4rer’s death, the property was inherited by his foster daughter Maria Dorothea St\u00e5lberg, who married tenant and master mason Johann Daniel Noll. Since the wooden house was already in bad condition, a new brick building with a facade parallel to Liel\u0101 Kal\u0113ju Street was built in its place. Interestingly, in 1815 the property was auctioned off, and the city of C\u0113sis bought it for 537 rubles, initially planning to use it for a girls’ school. <\/p>\n

The building’s function changed in 1876, when construction of a new school building was started under pastor Johann von Holst’s leadership, most likely built by P\u0113teris P\u0113tersons. However, in 1877, when the pastors changed, the new clergyman Gothard Firhufe set up a German congregation prayer house or “Bethaus” in the building instead of the planned Latvian children’s school. This began the building’s religious function, which continues to this day. <\/p>\n

At the end of the 19th century, when Russification policies were implemented in the Russian Empire, Anna’s school, which partially used this building’s premises, was forced to stop operating in 1897. The Prayer House became an important German congregation center, where not only church services took place, but also pastors’ meetings, funeral ceremonies and other religious events. Initially it was mainly used by Baltic Germans, but in the 1930s, as the number of Baltic Germans decreased, the building was increasingly used by C\u0113sis city’s Latvian congregation. <\/p>\n

1939. In 1939, after the Baltic Germans emigrated, the C\u0113sis German congregation was liquidated, and the Latvian congregation took over full use of the Prayer House. 1942. In 1942, significant renovation and repair work took place \u2013 an altar room was added to the building, ceiling vaults were created, which sculptor R\u016bdolfs \u0100bolti\u0146\u0161 decorated with stylized oak leaves and acorn ornaments. Two altar windows were made in mosaic by the Fromhold firm in Riga according to designs by C\u0113sis resident, architect K\u0101rlis Dzirka\u013cs. The renovated space could hold about 200 people. <\/p>\n

Today the building belongs to the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, and since 2021 it has been rented by the association “Anna’s Embassy,” whose goal is building management, renovation and organizing cultural events in this historic house. Like most old buildings, this one also faces various challenges \u2013 mainly damage caused by rot and woodworms, as well as roof problems. However, thanks to enthusiasts and local community support, the building is gradually being restored so it can serve as a cultural and arts space where theater performances and concerts take place, while preserving its historical heritage \u2013 including the organ and altar. <\/p>\n

The materials used for the description are:
\n<\/em>Dace Cepur\u012bte, Mg. hist., Research \u201cC\u0113snieks un jego nams<\/a>\u201d
\nCollections of the Cesis Castle Museum and the Central Library
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Originally, they planned to put a Latvian children’s school in the Prayer House, but pastor Gothard Firhufe’s decision changed the building’s fate, turning it into a German congregation’s church.<\/p>\n

In 1902-1903, when C\u0113sis St. John’s Church was too damp and cold, church services were temporarily moved to this Prayer House. <\/p>\n

Before World War II, even international peace activists performed here, for example, Jules Jezequel from France.<\/p>\n

Facts<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • 1665: A garden plot was located on the land, which the city council had given to one of their servants.<\/li>\n
  • 1693: The garden plot belongs to someone named Visman.<\/li>\n
  • 1786: Tenant and master carpenter Martin Friedrich B\u00e4rer buys a wooden residential house.<\/li>\n
  • 1815: The city of C\u0113sis purchases the property at auction for 537 rubles with the goal of creating a girls’ school.<\/li>\n
  • 1821: The property is registered in the land registry as C\u0113sis city property for the girls’ school.<\/li>\n
  • 1876: Under pastor Johann von Holst’s leadership, construction begins on a new school building, built by P\u0113teris P\u0113tersons.<\/li>\n
  • 1877: New pastor Gothard Firhufe sets up a German congregation prayer house or “Bethaus” instead of the Latvian children’s school.<\/li>\n
  • 1879: An expanded pastors’ conference takes place in the Prayer House with 20 participants.<\/li>\n
  • 1889: C\u0113sis city council transfers the property to the C\u0113sis St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran city congregation. <\/li>\n
  • 1897: Anna’s school, which partially used the building’s premises, ends its operations.<\/li>\n
  • 1902-1903: The Prayer House is used for church services due to dampness and cold in St. John’s Church. <\/li>\n
  • 1936: World Peace Promotion Association general secretary Jules Jezequel performs at the Prayer House.<\/li>\n
  • 1939: The C\u0113sis German congregation is liquidated after the Baltic Germans’ emigration, and the Latvian congregation takes over full use of the Prayer House.<\/li>\n
  • 1942: Building renovation and repairs take place under architect Alfred Birkhahn’s direction \u2013 an altar room is added, ceiling vaults with decorative elements are created.<\/li>\n
  • December 13, 1942: Consecration of the renovated Prayer House, with Archbishop Teodors Gr\u012bnbergs participating.<\/li>\n
  • 1972: The C\u0113sis Baptist congregation also begins using the Prayer House.<\/li>\n
  • 2021: A rental agreement is signed with the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the association “Anna’s Embassy” is created for building management and renovation for organizing cultural events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1800,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[204,327,326],"product_tag":[328,329,313,208],"class_list":{"0":"post-1798","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-cesis-house","7":"product_cat-churches","8":"product_cat-schools","9":"product_tag-church","10":"product_tag-congregation","11":"product_tag-school","12":"product_tag-us","14":"first","15":"instock","16":"shipping-taxable","17":"product-type-simple"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/1798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=1798"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=1798"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=1798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}