It's thought that the name Sangaste might derive from the Latin phrase Sanguis Christi (Blood of Christ), referring to a relic kept in Sangaste's original 13th-century church. The current building dates from 1742, with its baroque gable tower added in 1873. The interior is relatively plain, although it's worth noting the starry sky over the sanctuary and the Calvary scene above the altar, painted in Munich in 1883.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.63 MILES
Fairies, ghosts and witches abound in the 123 sq km of wooded hills, small lakes and ancient stone burial mounds that form Karula National Park, at least…
28.95 MILES
Set in untouched swampland straddling the border with Latvia (just outside the boundaries of Haanja Nature Park), this 800-hectare reserve encompasses…
9.7 MILES
According to legend, 3.5km-long, 8.5m-deep Pühajärv (Holy Lake) was formed from the tears of the mothers who lost their sons in a battle of the Kalevipoeg…
Dr F R Kreutzwald Memorial Museum
25.46 MILES
Võru’s most interesting museum is the house where Dr Kreutzwald, the physician and scholar who compiled Estonia's national epic Kalevipoeg, lived and…
11.39 MILES
Otepää’s Gothic hilltop church dates from 1671, although it was largely reconstructed in 1890. Inside there’s intricate woodwork, low-hanging chandeliers…
11.3 MILES
The pretty tree-covered hill south of the church was an ancient Estonian stronghold for around 800 years before it was topped by an episcopal castle in…
St Catherine’s Orthodox Church
25.39 MILES
Like its nearby Lutheran contemporary, Võru's main Orthodox church is dedicated to St Catherine as a nod to the town's founder, Russian Empress Catherine…
2.29 MILES
British castle-spotters might experience déjà vu gazing on this majestic red-brick manor house, with its architectural debts to Windsor and Balmoral…
Nearby Southern Estonia attractions
2.29 MILES
British castle-spotters might experience déjà vu gazing on this majestic red-brick manor house, with its architectural debts to Windsor and Balmoral…
9.7 MILES
According to legend, 3.5km-long, 8.5m-deep Pühajärv (Holy Lake) was formed from the tears of the mothers who lost their sons in a battle of the Kalevipoeg…
9.76 MILES
The popular sandy beach on the northeastern shore of Pühajärv has waterslides, a swimming pontoon, a cafe and lifeguards in summer.
10.81 MILES
If energy levels are low, recharge at this odd bear-covered totem pole. It was erected in 1992 to mark the long-held belief of psychics that this area…
5. Otepää Winter Sports Museum
11 MILES
Big, flash Tehvandi Stadium, used for football and ski events, is a testimony to Otepää’s obsession with sport. Within the bowels of the main stand, this…
11.3 MILES
The pretty tree-covered hill south of the church was an ancient Estonian stronghold for around 800 years before it was topped by an episcopal castle in…
11.39 MILES
Otepää’s Gothic hilltop church dates from 1671, although it was largely reconstructed in 1890. Inside there’s intricate woodwork, low-hanging chandeliers…
13.25 MILES
An estimated 29,000 Russians died at the Nazi POW camp Stalag-351, which was located in converted stables at Priimetsa on Valga’s outskirts. Most died of…