Description of the attraction
At first, in 1627, services were held in a small chapel next to the sea. The church and its first pastor Paul Andreas Lempelius were described in the work of the Finnish writer Aino Kallas in the story "Pastor from Reigi".
Later, in 1690, a wooden church was built to replace the chapel. However, this building, too, by the end of the 18th century. fell into disrepair. At this time, Count Ungern-Sternberg came to the rescue.
The existing stone church with 370 seats was built in 1800-1802 at the direction of Count Otto Reingold Ludwig von Ungern-Sternberg. The count was the owner of the Kyrgessaare manor and other lands on the island. Hiiumaa. He was also known as Randroovel ("coastal robber") and as Count of Ungru. The church was built in memory of his son, Gustav Otto Dietrich von Ungern-Sternberg. The count's son committed suicide because he was a gambler and was deeply in debt.
The spire of the church is decorated with lilies - a symbol of the Ungern family.
The Reigi Church houses many fine works of art, many of which are believed to have been donated in gratitude to survivors of the shipwreck off the perilous northwestern coast of Hiiumaa.
Some of the renovations to the church were carried out in 1899, however, in general, the church looks the same as it did 200 years ago.
This place has attracted many composers, writers and filmmakers in Estonia. Based on the story of Aino Kallas in the story "Pastor from Reigi" in 1977, a film was made about how in the early 17th century. the family of Pastor Lempelius, who survived the drama, arrives in exile on the island from, in the Reigi parish.
