Palanga Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and observation deck
Built over a hundred years ago, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palanga attracts the attention of almost every passer-by with its neo-Gothic beauty and grandeur. Inside, there is also much to admire: the impressive pulpit and three artistic altars decorated with bas-reliefs are made of marble brought from France. The central altar features a painting of the Mother of God, which was first mentioned in the 17th century. The other two wooden altars in the side aisles were moved from the previous wooden church.
The first small wooden Catholic church in Palanga was built around 1540 on the initiative of Queen Anna Jagiellon. Another cruciform church with a tower and a belfry was built in 1590 on the initiative of the then rulers of Lithuania.
In 1767, the wooden church was rebuilt again and stood for 140 years. In 1897, a new neo-Gothic church was built next to the old wooden one, designed by Swedish architect Karl Eduard Strandman. The construction work was fully financed by Count Feliksas Tiškevičius. In 1907, after the construction of the brick church was completed, the first wooden houses of worship were demolished.
On August 15, commemorating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a grand annual feast is held, and on the Sunday after Assumption Day, the feast of St. Roch is celebrated in Palanga. The
church tower has an observation deck. Those wishing to reach the observation deck at a height of 21.4 meters must climb the stairs. On the way, on the intermediate landing, you can see the church clock mechanism and read the instructions for using the clock. The observation deck, which is about 18 meters wide, not only offers a bird’s-eye view of Palanga (the city panorama and the sea can be seen through the tower windows), but also, if you look up, you can see the impressive church bells and their mechanism up close, as the visitor area is located in the bell tower. There are also two monocular telescopes on the observation deck of the tower.
Admission to the observation deck is free of charge. During Holy Mass, weddings, and other ceremonies, access is not permitted.
Cultural heritage sites in Palanga Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
- Altars with reliefs
- Pulpit with four relief sculptures
- Stained glass
- Painting “The Blessed Virgin Mary with Child (Bochnia’s Blessed Virgin Mary)”
