1224 - Data Points by Date/Period

The catholicon of the monastery of St. Nicholas at Mesopotam is one of the most notable architectural achievements of the late Byzantine period. It was built in 1224/25 close to ancient Phoenice, and stands, as its name reveals, between two rivers, Rivers Bishtricë and Kalasë. The site might have once been host to an ancient temple, as testified by the numerous spolia found on the spot and integrated in the church walls. The most characteristic are the reliefs representing mythical creatures in the eastern wall of the church. The monastery is fortified and situated close to the homonym Byzantine citadel, whose first mention as such in the Byzantine period dates in the XI century. The catholicon shows a massive cubic structure, crowned with four domes, resting on shallow drums. The church has a nave, the altar space, a narthex and preserves the ruins of a portico, which once surrounded the church from the northern, western and southern side. The whole arrangement of the church reveals a mixed media construction, of mortar rubble with a facing of coursed brick and roughly cut stone. The existence of two apses and holy tables constitutes another characteristic feature of the monument, suggesting the celebration of both religious rites inside the same space, orthodox and catholic rites.

Tartu Cathedral was the main church of the Bishopric of Tartu from the 13th century until the second half of the 16th century. The Bishopric of Tartu was one of the most influential institutions in medieval Livonia i.e. the present day territories of Estonia and Latvia. The Bishop of Tartu was the holder of both secular as well as ecclesiastic power but the boundaries of his secular (bishopric) and ecclesiastic (diocese) domains did not overlap. Tartu Diocese reached from Lake Peipus (Lake Peipsi) to the Gulf of Pärnu. Established in 1224, Bishopric of Tartu was first directly subject to the Pope, and then from the 13th Century, to the Archbishop of Riga. In terms of secular power, the Bishop of Tartu was the vassal of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and his feudal domain was of the Holy Roman Empire. Typical of medieval ecclesiastic feudal lords, the Tartu Bishop, also, led his troops into battle and at least one bishop - Alexander - was killed in action. During the Russian-Livonian War in 1558 the Russian Army conquered the territory of the Tartu Bishopric. Tartu surrendered and the last Bishop Hermann Wesel was taken to Russia, where he died. This was the end of the medieval Tartu Bishopric and a new era in the history of Estonia began.

Otepää is one of the oldest settlements in Estonia, first mentioned in Russian chronicles in 1116. On the Linnamägi (Town Hill), located next to the church, you will find the Otepää fortress, which has been standing there for over a thousand years and was the most important fortress in the ancient Ugala. A Bishop's Castle and two churches were built on the hill in 1224 on the initiative of Hermann the I, the Bishop of Tartu. One of the churches, the one meant for Estonians, was located outside of the walls of the fortress. Unfortunately we do not know when exactly the Bishop's Castle and churches were destroyed. In 1671 a new church was constructed and in 1850 the interior of the church was repaired and the choir balcony was built. The pipe organ was built in 1852 in Tartu, in the workshop of a well-known organ builder named Kessler. The tower of the church was built in 1860 and the current facade of the church originates from the total reconstruction done in 1890. The altarpiece "Kristus ristil" ("Christ on the cross") was done in 1880. Electricity was installed in the sacred building in 1938. In 1806 a limestone gravestone of general Rennenkampf was placed under the left hand choir. Also note the lock of the first door that dates back to 1772. The bell of Otepää Church was donated by H. Billinghausen and S. Taube. A new bell was given to the church in 1992 as a gift from the Vihti parish in Finland. The architecture of the church is new-gothic and it has a 51 meter tower. Some Interesting Facts: The Otepää St. Mary's (Maarja) Lutheran church is historically linked to the Estonian national flag. On June 4, 1884 the blue-black-white coloured flag of the Estonian Students' Society was consecrated in the hall of Otepää pastor's mansion. The flag later became the civil flag of Estonia and as of 1992 it is the national flag of the Republic of Estonia. The bas-reliefs depicting the birth of the Estonian flag are displayed on the walls of the church and on the stone columns by the side of the entrance. Concerts are held in the church of Otepää, and in summer it is open as a Wayfarers' church. In winter the services are held in the Winter Church.

The main castle is a Convent building, protected with three outer baileys. Prehistoric hillfort (9th - 13th century AD) was located on Kaevumagi, the site of the later main castle. In 1223 it was conquered by the German crusaders. Stone fortifications were started from AD 1224. The Convent building was erected at the turn of the 13th - 14th century. Modifications and reconstructions took place until the second half of the 16th century. The castle was badly damaged in the Livonian War 1558 - 1583 and the following Polish-Swedish War 1600 - 1622/23, it lost its remains of military importance in the Northern War 1700-1710. Parts of the castle were demolished during the 18th century, as the resurrecting town needed building material. Archaeological excavations took place in 1878-1879, in 1939 and since 1998.

1224 (4)

Other Dates/Periods

29-11-2008

1267

1412

1701

16-07-1998

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