Our Lady of Sorrows Church

Here’s a church with a name that really leaves an impression: Our Lady of Sorrows. Built in 1785 to serve the minority Catholic community, then rebuilt in the 19th century in a Neo-Gothic style, it’s immediately recognisable by its white façade and, above all, by its tall tower with a pale blue roof, a rare detail in the city’s skyline. In fact, it’s the only church in the historic centre to have a roof of this colour, chosen during the reconstruction to highlight its silhouette and distinguish it from neighbouring churches with dark roofs or metallic domes, a contrast that also helped visually assert the Catholic presence in a city long dominated by Lutheranism and Orthodoxy. This context gives full meaning to its name: dedicated to the Virgin of the Seven Sorrows, it gradually became a symbol of resilience, reflecting the situation of Catholic worshippers who had to maintain their faith in what was often a challenging religious environment.