The church, in Miikse, in Setomaa – a traditional region lying to the south of Peipsi järv, was not under heritage protection, meaning the imagination could be let loose during its restoration for architect Karmo Tõra and the community.

The result is an eye-catching, traditional-style Seto church.

Tõra said: "We wanted to make a church that would be a Setomaa church. And now it is, such that the facade is made with a lace-like pattern, which is not usually done. It uses Seto the colors – red, blue, and sheep wool white. Below and above the windows around the church there is a Seto belt pattern. The 'flame' was new, larger. The flame being that onion dome, on the center of the roof. The tower dome was made taller, and the entire frame of the tower was made completely anew."

The altar and icons were preserved as they were. Part of the church's old floor was also preserved. Special attention should be paid to the church's bell tower, whose structure contains no metal.

"My understanding is a teacher came here from Canada who taught Estonian woodworkers how to make a structure which contains no metal in it," Tõra added.
The story of restoring the time-worn Miikse church began three years ago, when the children of the late former Võru county governor, Ülo Tulik, thought that in memory of their father, they could restore the church door, which held a significance for their family.

A couple of thousand euros were collected at a table tennis tournament organized to that end. On the other hand, the result was a newly restored door juxtaposed against a more dilapidated rest of the church.

Allar Tulik, one of the leading members of the restoration team, said: "Various church doors were then inspected and compared; discussions were held with Karmo about what he thought of it, and the conclusion was that the door highlighted the tired condition of the rest of the church."

This led to the decision to expand the project and to start looking for supporters. Since the church was originally community-built too, these were found among the community, ranging from businessmen to elderly Seto grandmothers, who between them raised around €250,000.

On top of that, work on a voluntary basis helped get the job done. "For instance local farmer Kooser Rein hauled stones and soil, and helped with tractor work," Tulik said.

An NGO, MTÜ Vanaajamaja, restored the church's bell tower and built new roof structures.

"NGO Vanaajamaja, two weeks of volunteer work, about 38 people participated over those two weeks, they did over 1500 hours of so-called free work for us, and we only provided accommodation and meals," Tulik added.

The Miikse church is currently open only once a month for services, so at present the interior of the church is not open to the public outside those times. However, efforts are underway to find a way to keep the church doors open to visitors at least one day a week.

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