Tartu Jaani kirik (Tartu)

 temple, church, christianity, place with historical importance, lutheranism, interesting place, listed building / architectural heritage, place of worship, 14th century construction, tourist attraction

Tartu St. John's Church is a medieval brick Gothic church in Tartu, known for its terracotta figures. The church has been located on the same site since the first half of the 13th century at the latest, the oldest parts of the current building date back to the 14th century. The church has been in ruins several times throughout its history, most recently from 1944 to 2005. The terracotta sculptures of St. John's Church are famous for the fact that they were not stamped using one or a few molds, but all the figures – originally nearly 2,000 – were made one by one from clay, so that each of them is unique. About a third of them have survived to this day. According to one hypothesis, they depict former citizens of the city of Tartu. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and is used by the Tartu University-St. John's congregation.