The Saeima¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Riga St. Peter's Church Law

Section 1. Purpose and Task of the Law

(1) The purpose of this Law is to ensure the preservation and protection of Riga St. Peter's Church and the cultural and historical value thereof, and also the use thereof for public needs.

(2) The task of this Law is to determine the jurisdiction of Riga St. Peter's Church and to regulate the issues related to its renewal, especially restoration, use, maintenance, management, and financing.

Section 2. Cultural and Historical Value of Riga St. Peter's Church

(1) Riga St. Peter's Church (first mentioned in 1209) as an ancient Late Brick Gothic and Baroque building with a rich history, especially characteristic monumental size, spacious structure, plasticity of the western façade portals, visual image of the tower's spire in the skyline of the historic centre of Rīga, rebuilding and renewal processes, surveyed and untouched archaeological evidence, preserved remarkable art pieces and architectural parts, is a unique value of sacral architecture in Latvia and a testimony to the highest achievements in construction culture in Northern Europe.

(2) Riga St. Peter's Church as a Christian temple has had a special non-material meaning since the 13^th century - it symbolises belonging to the Western Christian tradition and the cultural space of European values formed thereby; it has been an important centre for the spread of the ideas of humanism and Reformation in the Baltic Sea region.

(3) Riga St. Peter's Church is a monument to the Baltic German cultural heritage in Latvia and a memorial sign to the part of the Latvian nation lost in the civil catastrophes caused by the totalitarian regimes of the 20^th century.

(4) Riga St. Peter's Church is a place of collective cultural memory formed by diverse historical experience and Western Christianity - Catholic and Lutheran faith - which has left a permanent impact on the cultural identity of the Latvian society and on the religious self-awareness, political maturity, and the local sense of belonging of the residents of Rīga City.

Section 3. Status of Riga St. Peter's Church as a Protected Cultural and Historical Heritage

(1) Riga St. Peter's Church and the art values contained therein are a part of the cultural and historical heritage of Latvia. Riga St. Peter's Church is a cultural monument of State significance which is included in the list of State protected cultural monuments with the State protection number 6598. There are 28 State protected art monuments therein (16^th-19^th century portals, crypts, grave plates, epitaphs, a candleholder, and a sculpture), and also 204 registered valuable 16^th-19^th century art objects.

(2) Riga St. Peter's Church is located in the historic centre of Rīga which is included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and is the territory and part of the urban construction monument of State significance "Historic Centre of Rīga" (State protection number 7442) and of the archaeological monument of State significance "Archaeological Complex of Old Riga" (State protection number 2070).

(3) The preservation, maintenance, and use of Riga St. Peter's Church and the art values contained therein shall be governed by this Law, the Law on Protection of Cultural Monuments, and other laws and regulations.

(4) Building parts and finishing fragments of Old Riga buildings destroyed during World War II are kept at Riga St. Peter's Church.

Section 4. Legal Affiliation of Riga St. Peter's Church

(1) The State shall transfer a land parcel (land unit cadastral designation 0100 001 0055) of 2788 square metres in accordance with the borders specified in Annex 1 to this Law, Borders of the Immovable Property - Riga St. Peter's Church and Land Beneath it, (hereinafter - Annex 1) and the building of Riga St. Peter's Church (cadastral designation 0100 001 0055 001) located on it together with the movable appurtenances (auxiliary property) which are clearly related to the building in Riga at Reformācijas laukums 1 (hereinafter jointly - the immovable property) to the foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia and the German St. Peter's Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia "Riga St. Peter's Church Foundation" [Rīgas Svētā Pētera baznīcas nodibinājums] (unified registration No. 40008310781) (hereinafter - the Foundation) free of charge.

(2) When corroborating the property rights to the Foundation, the following note shall be made in the Land Register:

1) the immovable property is a cultural monument of State significance and a part of an urban construction monument and of an archaeological monument of State significance;

2) it is prohibited to alienate the immovable property or its part or to encumber it with rights in rem;

3) alienation of the immovable property is only possible to the State represented by the Ministry of Finance.

(3) The borders of the immovable property are indicated in Annex 1 to this Law, and the actual borders of the land beneath the building of Riga St. Peter's Church shall be measured out at a functionally necessary distance from the façades of the church as a free-standing building and its prominences, taking into account the dimensions of the foundation in the ground, the technological solutions of complex restoration, the special upkeep (maintenance) required by the cultural monument, in accordance with the border plan of the immovable property which is indicated in Annex 2 to this Law, Adjusted Borders of the Immovable Property and Adjoining Territory (hereinafter - Annex 2). The National Cultural Heritage Board shall commission, coordinate, and pay for the land border plan of the immovable property. The circumstance that the borders of the land parcel have not been surveyed and the land border plan has not been prepared shall not be an obstacle for the recording of the immovable property in the Land Register.

(4) The Foundation shall be authorised to submit the necessary documents and the corroboration request to record the immovable property in the Land Register in the name of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance concurrently with the corroboration of the property right of the Foundation.

Section 5. Obligations of the Foundation

(1) The Foundation shall ensure the preservation, renewal, especially restoration, of the immovable property as a cultural monument of State significance in accordance with the requirements brought forward by the State and shall ensure public access to it and use in accordance with that specified in Section 6 of this Law.

(2) The Foundation shall perform the necessary research work, develop a concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property, documentation for the restoration project, and ensure the performance of the restoration work.

(3) The Foundation shall coordinate the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property developed with the Ministry of Culture. The concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property shall also include the plan for the use of the immovable property in accordance with that specified in Section 6 of this Law and the financing plan for the use of the immovable property. The amount of information to be included in the concept and the level of detail shall be determined by the Ministry of Culture. The concept is developed for a period of 15 years and is updated every three years.

(4) Every year until 31 March, the Foundation shall submit to the Ministry of Culture a report on the implementation of the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property, including on the revenue gained and expenses incurred in the previous year, and also on the public access to the immovable property and its use in accordance with that specified in Section 6 of this Law.

(5) The Foundation shall be responsible for the preservation, renewal, and safe use of the immovable property in accordance with the provisions of this Law, the Law on Protection of Cultural Monuments, the Law on Preservation and Protection of the Historic Centre of Riga, and other laws and regulations.

Section 6. Use of Riga St. Peter's Church

(1) Riga St. Peter's Church is a house of worship which is used for religious activity and also as:

1) a place for the research, preservation, and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage, including Baltic German cultural and historical heritage;

2) a venue for concerts, art exhibitions, and also exhibitions devoted to the history, development and architecture of the city, and other cultural events;

3) a venue for educational events;

4) a tourist attraction which includes the viewing tower of the church.

(2) Religious activity at Riga St. Peter's Church shall be governed by the Law on Religious Organisations and other laws and regulations. Riga St. Peter's Church shall be accessible to religious organisations of the Christian denominations historically related to Riga St. Peter's Church for the performance of their religious activity, to religious communities (churches) upon mutual agreement and agreement with the Foundation.

(3) The Foundation shall ensure access to Riga St. Peter's Church, coordinating and agreeing with those natural and legal persons who use Riga St. Peter's Church for the performance of the functions specified in Paragraph one of this Section.

(4) It is prohibited to alienate, pledge, or otherwise encumber the immovable property with rights in rem.

Section 7. Adjoining Territory of the Immovable Property

(1) The adjoining territory of the immovable property is a public outdoor space which, together with the immovable property, forms a single historical territory of St. Peter's Church. The borders of the adjoining territory of the immovable property (hereinafter - the adjoining territory) are indicated in Annex 2 to this Law.

(2) The main type of use of the adjoining territory shall be to ensure the visual perception and operation of the sacral building, and the following restrictions shall be specified for the use thereof:

1) the archaeological cultural layer, historical burials (some of the oldest burials, up to 22 layers, the most intensively and protractedly used (for six centuries) cemetery in the territory of Old Riga) shall be preserved;

2) the construction of new structures, except for the structures related to the renewal and use of the immovable property, is prohibited;

3) the owner of the adjoining territory shall ensure regular upkeep, except for the time period referred to in Clause 4 of this Paragraph, and maintenance of the territory;

4) the Foundation shall use the part of the adjoining territory required for the performance of the renewal works on the immovable property without remuneration and shall ensure its upkeep;

5) unrestricted access to Riga St. Peter's Church shall be ensured (for its users, tourists, maintenance staff, construction machinery and transport required for the renewal works);

6) the adjoining territory shall be used in such a way that is not in contradiction with the activity of a house of worship.

Section 8. Financing of the Maintenance, Research, Conservation, and Restoration of the Immovable Property

(1) The Foundation shall ensure and attract the funding required for the preservation, renewal, and maintenance of the immovable property.

(2) The State and the local government have the right to participate in the financing of the preservation and renewal of the immovable property in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and regulations.

(3) The Foundation shall use the income gained as a result of the economic activity performed at the immovable property only for the renewal and maintenance of the immovable property, for ensuring its public access, and also for the use for the purposes specified in this Law.

Section 9. Supervision of the Implementation of the Concept for the Preservation, Renewal, and Use of the Immovable Property

(1) The Ministry of Culture shall coordinate and supervise the implementation of the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property. The Ministry of Culture shall, once a year, assess the report submitted by the Foundation on the implementation of the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property, including on the revenue gained and expenses incurred in the previous year, and also on the public access and use of the immovable property in accordance with that specified in Section 6 of this Law, on the basis of the opinions provided by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economics, and provide a report to the Foundation and the Education, Culture and Science Committee of the Saeima on the conformity of the activity.

(2) The Ministry of Culture shall supervise and ensure that the conditions of the regulations on aid for commercial activity in relation to the transfer of the immovable property to the Foundation are conformed to.

(3) In detecting any of the cases where the immovable property is to be transferred to the State in accordance with Section 10, Paragraph two of this Law, the Ministry of Culture shall also submit the report to the Cabinet.

(4) After having assessed the report specified in Paragraph three of this Section in which any of the cases referred to in Section 10, Paragraph two of this Law has been detected, the Cabinet shall issue an order on the transfer of the immovable property to the State represented by the Ministry of Finance.

Section 10. Transfer of the Immovable Property to the State

(1) If the Foundation ceases to exist, the immovable property shall fall under the jurisdiction of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance. In such case, the immovable property is recorded in the Land Register in the name of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance on the basis of the decision of the Enterprise Register on exclusion of the Foundation from the Register of Associations and Foundations which, after its entering into effect, shall be made available, without delay, by the Enterprise Register electronically to the regional (city) court without a separate corroboration request and applying an exemption from the processing fee for the corroboration of the property right.

(2) The immovable property shall be transferred without remuneration to the State represented by the Ministry of Finance in any of the following cases:

1) if public access to it is not ensured protractedly without a justification;

2) if it is not used as a house of worship for religious activities protractedly;

3) if it is not used for the objectives specified in Section 6, Paragraph one, Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this Law at large;

4) if the preservation and renewal works of the immovable property are not commenced within three years of the signing of its deed of delivery and acceptance;

5) if, within 10 years after the transfer of the immovable property to the Foundation, it has not been renewed in accordance with the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property;

6) if significant damages to the immovable property which have not been eliminated protractedly have been detected.

(3) In any of the cases referred to in Paragraph two of this Section, the immovable property is corroborated in the name of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance on the basis of the Cabinet order on the corroboration of the property right to Riga St. Peter's Church in the name of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance. In such case, the corroboration shall not require the consent of the Foundation and exemptions from the State fee for the corroboration of the property right in the Land Register and from the processing fee for the corroboration of the property right shall apply.

(4) If the immovable property is transferred to the State in any of the cases referred to in Paragraph two of this Section, any investments in the immovable property shall not be reimbursed to the Foundation and the immovable property is recorded in the Land Register in the name of the State represented by the Ministry of Finance without the consent of the Foundation.

Transitional Provisions

1. The Rīga local government shall, within three months after the coming into force of this Law, transfer and the Foundation shall take over the immovable property referred to in Section 4 of this Law which is in the possession of the local government together with any movable appurtenances (auxiliary property) which are clearly related to the building of Riga St. Peter's Church, drawing up a deed of delivery and acceptance thereof. The National Cultural Heritage Board shall organise the transfer process of the immovable property and create a committee for this purpose which shall include representatives of the Rīga local government, representatives of the Foundation, representatives of the National Cultural Heritage Board, and, if necessary, invited experts.

2. The Foundation shall, within one year after the signing of the deed of delivery and acceptance of the immovable property, submit the concept for the preservation, renewal, and use of the immovable property to the Ministry of Culture for coordination.

3. The requirements for the accommodation, preservation, and exposition of the building parts and finishing fragments referred to in Section 3, Paragraph four of this Law shall be determined by the National Cultural Heritage Board.

4. Until the deed of delivery and acceptance of the immovable property is signed, the Rīga local government shall be responsible for the technical condition and safe use of the building.

5. The documents related to the research, renewal, and maintenance of the immovable property accumulated during the management and renewal thereof since 1941 shall be assessed by the National Cultural Heritage Board in cooperation with the National Archives of Latvia and their future storage place shall be determined.

6. When adjusting the borders of the land of the immovable property, the border of the adjoining territory of the immovable property is adjusted concurrently, making land border plans conforming to Annex 2 to this Law.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 24 March 2022.

President E. Levits

Rīga, 7 April 2022

 

Riga St. Peter's Church Law
Annex 1

Borders of the Immovable Property - Riga St. Peter's Church and Land Beneath it

Riga St. Peter's Church Law
Annex 2

Adjusted Borders of the Immovable Property and Adjoining Territory

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¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)