Religion
Christianity came to Latvia with the Crusades in the 12th century, bringing Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism and eventually Russian Orthodox believers. Riga's Dome Cathedral, begun in 1211, is just one of many spectacular churches built over the last 800 years. Most Protestant churches are located in northern and western Latvia, while Roman Catholic cathedrals are common throughout the southeast. The beautifully renovated Aglona Basilica was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993.
