Catholicism was introduced to Estonia by force via the
Northern crusades and dominated religious life during the
Middle Ages. However, following the
Reformation during the 16th century,
Lutheranism took its place as the dominant faith, and during the time of
Swedish rule in Estonia, Catholicism was banned. Following Sweden's loss of Estonia to the
Russian Empire during the
Great Northern War, religious freedom was introduced by the new authorities. In 1799, the Catholic parish had grown large enough to be granted the former refectory of the long-since closed
St. Catherine's Monastery as a place of worship on the site of the present church. In 1841, designs were made for a proper new church building for the site, which had grown too small. The architect was the well-known
St. Petersburg architect
Carlo Rossi. He designed a
neo-Gothic basilica, without an
apse, with a
neo-classical exterior. Between 1920 and 1924, the main, western façade received its present look, a work by architects
Erich Jacoby and
Franz de Vries somewhat deviating from Rossi's original façade. The interior of the church still reflects Rossi's design, however the wooden, neo-Gothic decoration has been removed. The cathedral has undergone a series of renovations, the latest in 2002–2003. The cathedral incorporates several works of art, including works by local
Baltic German artists , and a copy of a painting by
Guido Reni. ==See also==