Daugavpils City Council directs funds to protect local heritage

For a second year in a row, the local government of Daugavpils is providing funds for the preservation of local religious and cultural heritage

The Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Daugavpils is one of the city’s most important and well-known cultural, historic and religious landmarks – it’s pretty much the image you see when you receive a postcard from the Latvian town. But the building is deteriorating rapidly, the façade of the great church is aging and as the old bricks are slowly crumbling to dust, the local government is planning to take action.

The Cathedral is one of the five churches to receive a grant from the city council. The government is co-financing their restoration and preservation because of their importance as local historical monuments. Members of the administration are adamant that their choice of projects to support is not binary or random – the thought process involves lots of research into the needs of the cultural institutions, their importance and value.

Last year, over 1 million euros were allocated for the preservation of important religious sites in Daugavpils. This year the project is continuing, full steam ahead. All churches and cathedrals in the region have the opportunity to request financing or co-financing from the local authorities and they can be certain their applications will be considered. The 5 latest beneficiaries are set to have their icons restored and their facades improved and repaired – at a current total cost of around 27,000 euros.