Ilmjärve Orthodox Church

Ilmjärve Church of the Holy Appearance is the only Orthodox church in Otepää, but regular services do not take place here. The first Orthodox church was built in Ilmjärve in 1848, but the wooden building became too small for the congregation, and a new one was designed to replace it (by the architect Jānis Frīdrihs Baumanis from Riga). The land and brick cross-shaped church with five towers was built on the grounds of the Ilmjärve manor in 1873. The church has two large bells donated by Emperor Alexander II. Despite bomb hits and looting, the church has been well preserved architecturally. Since 1999, the church has been under state protection as an architectural monument.