This volume in the series of books on monuments of religious architecture and art examines the churches of north-eastern Latgale, in the former districts of Balvi and Ludza, thus concluding the treatment of religious art and architecture in the historical districts of Latgale.
Many people probably associate the heritage of religious architecture and art in north-eastern Latgale first and foremost with the church of Pasiene – an outstanding Late Baroque monument that seems to represent a kind of boundary marker at the interface between the Eastern and Western rite of the Christian Church, con- stituting the dominant architectural feature of a broad, panoramic landscape. But it is by no means the only architecturally and artistically valuable monument in this area. Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, Old Believer and Jewish places of worship were built at many locations during the 18th–20th century.
This book brings together information on 66 masonry and wooden churches and chapels. They have been selected from among all the churches of this area according to the criterion of artistic quality. Thus, the buildings chosen for inclu- sion in this treatment are those that have the status of cultural monuments or pretend to this status.
This book is the work of two authors, each with their own assignment: Anita Bistere has examined the Orthodox and Old Believer places of worship, while Rūta Kaminska has covered the religious buildings of all the other denominations.