@katelynrew: Save this for your trip to Latvia 🇱🇻 I was genuinely shocked when I walked inside St Simeon and St Anna’s Orthodox Cathedral in Jelgava. The white exterior and bright blue domes were already beautiful, but they gave me absolutely no idea what was waiting inside. Everywhere I looked there were detailed religious paintings, intricate icons, gold decoration and an enormous chandelier hanging from the centre. I’ve visited a lot of churches around Europe, but this was easily one of the most beautiful interiors I’ve seen. The cathedral was built between 1890 and 1892 with financial support from Russian Tsar Alexander III. Its altar and foundations actually belong to an earlier church built here in 1774. It was devastated during World War II and later used as a warehouse during the Soviet era. After Latvia regained independence, it took ten years to restore, with the work finally completed in 2003. Even the interior paintings had to be recreated using old photographs and murals from similar Orthodox churches. Knowing how close this place came to being lost made it even more incredible to stand inside it. You’ll find it in Jelgava, southwest of Riga. Follow @katelynrew for more unexpected places worth adding to your travels. Would you have expected it to look like this inside? #latvia #jelgava #latviatravel #orthodoxchurch #hiddengems

Katelyn Rew

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Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:43:20 GMT