St. Catherine's Church in Pärnu

St. Catherine's Church is an outstanding monument of Baroque architecture in the historical centre of Pärnu. The Orthodox church was completed in 1769 by order and with the funding of Empress Catherine II. Its expressive facade, relief decoration and six slender spire finishes differ noticeably from the appearance of many Orthodox churches built in the region later. The church appeared about a century before most Orthodox churches of this architectural circle and influenced the further development of Orthodox church architecture in the Baltic countries. The Russian Orthodox community of Pärnu still operates here today. Due to its central location, the church is easy to include in a walk around the historical part of the city.