Īles evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca, church

Īle Lutheran Church is a State-protected cultural monument. Information about the first church dates back to 1682. Around 1686, the church received a tower and a bell as a gift from the local noble Friedrich von Nettelhorst. Various repairs were carried out in Īle Lutheran Church in 1752, 1765, and 1849 when Kārlis Hermanis, a well-known organ master from Liepāja, made a new organ for the church. This is the only church in Zemgale that was destroyed during the Russian Revolution of 1905. In 1908, the church and its interior were restored at the expense of the parish and the owner of the Īle Manor. Unfortunately, it was destroyed again during the World War II. After the dissolution of the Īle parish in 1965, the church was to house a museum and later a clubhouse and a warehouse of a sanatorium. The church had been shared by the Īle and Lielauce Evangelical Lutheran parishes. August Bielenstein had preached in this church. Īle parish came into possession of the church only in the 1990’s.

On 10 June 2016, the choral conductor Ints Teterovskis and the youth choir Balsis gave there the concert Rediscover the Īle Church as part of ‘The Night of Churches 2016’, celebrating the opening of the church to visitors for the first time in 50 years.

The Īle Lutheran Church is becoming a high-level concert hall in a historical building in Zemgale. The new interior of the church is the diploma project of 27 students of the Wood and Metal Art Department of the Riga Art and Media Technical School.

The space with a length of 20 m is to be divided into three functional areas:

• altar and chancel with a baptismal font and a pulpit;
• area for musicians or other artists with steps for the choir;
• seats for the parishioners (audience).

The interior of the Īle Lutheran Church was inspired by the Early Classical period of the late 18^th century with certain influences of the Baroque and Rococo style.

Intensive work is currently underway to restore the church for the donations by the residents.