2007. gada vasarā Lēdurgas pagastā tika svinēta kristianizācijas 800. gadadiena, un arī Livonijas Indriķa hronikā ir atzīmēts, ka jau 1218. gadā Lēdurgā darbojies priesteris Gotfrīds (Gotfridus). 1767.gada 10. jūlijā, mācītāja Daniela Merķeļa kalpošanas laikā tiek iesvētīts jaunās mūra baznīcas pamatakmens. Baznīca uzcelta vietā, kas agrāk saukta par Maiņkalnu un apkārtnes iedzīvotājiem kalpojusi par tirgus laukumu 4 ceļu krustojumā. Baznīcu projektējis un būvējis mūrniekmeistars Bernhards Joahims no Švarcvaldes. Pēc 5 gadu būvniecības, 1772. gada 2. septembrī jauno dievnamu iesvētījis ģenerālsuperintendents Lange, par ko liecina uzraksts baznīcas pamatakmeņos – 1767 den 10 Juli aufgefangen, 1772 den 2 September eingeweiht.
Dievnams lauku draudzei bija neparasti grezns, un vēl mūsdienās tas ir viens no ievērojamākajiem vēlīnā baroka laika pieminekļiem Vidzemē. Apliecinājums tam ir greznais altāris un rokoko stilā veidotā kancele. Ķieģeļu sienas, kas pārsegtas ar koka buru velvēm veido plašu telpu ar 600 apmeklētāju vietām. Baznīcā uzstādītas E.Martina 1902. gadā būvētās divu manuāļu ērģeles. Baznīcas interjeru grezno divi kroņlukturi, vienu no tiem ir dāvinājis pirmais brīvvalsts prezidents Kārlis Ulmanis.
Pie baznīcas ieejas vārtiem aplūkojams tēlnieka Kārļa Baumaņa veidotais piemineklis Lēdurgā dzimušajam rakstniekam un apgaismības ideju iedzīvinātājam Garlībam Merķelim.
Baznīca ir valsts nozīmes kultūras piemineklis.
Lēdurga Evangelical Lutheran Church is a cultural monument of national significance. The church was designed and built by Bernhard Joachim von Mazungen. The roof was laid by Johann Frey from Berlin. Its foundation stone was consecrated on July 10, 1767 by Pastor Daniel Merkel, the father of the great Garlieb Merkel, a publicist and promoter of enlightenment ideas. On September 2, 1772, the church was consecrated by the General Superintendent of Vidzeme Jacob Lange.
Lēdurga Church is a rectangular building with a semicircular altar apse and a baroque tower in the central part of the western facade. The altar room has a domed roof, but the tower ends with a spire. The architecture of the church has Gothic features – a high gable roof and a triangular pediment. Baroque elements can be seen in the forms of church portals, cornices and pilasters.
The church was unusually luxurious for the rural congregation and still is one of the most notable late Baroque monuments in Vidzeme. The church has 600 seats. The organ of the church was built by Emīls Martins in 1902.
The church was built in a place formerly called Maiņkalns, which served as a market square for the local residents at the intersection of four roads. An old legend says that there was a passage from the church to Lēdurga Manor and Money Hill (Naudas kalns). In ancient times, there was a boat dock near Money Hill on the shore of the river Aģe, from where the boats went further to sea.
Two chandeliers adorn the interior of the church. The members of Vidriži and Murkuži parish congregations presented the first chandeliers to the church in 1867. During the First World War, the church was destroyed and its chandeliers were stolen. In August 1937, the President of Latvia Kārlis Ulmanis, visiting Lēdurga, donated 1000 lats for the decoration of Lēdurga Church. For this money, the Lēdurga parish ordered a luxurious lamp, made according to the drawing of architect R. Lazdiņš, to illuminate the church. In November 1937, the President’s gift was consecrated. A dedication is engraved on the chandelier.
The Merkel family in Lēdurga
The Merkel family had been associated with Lēdurga for 32 years. In 1769, the sixth child was born in the family of Daniel Merkel, the Pastor of the Lēdurga Lutheran Church. The child’s name was Garlieb Helwig Merkel, who later became a writer, publicist, literary critic, doctor of philosophy and one of the brightest representatives of ideas of enlightenment in the Baltics. Garlieb Merkel’s essay “Latvians, especially in Vidzeme, at the end of the philosophical century”, published in Leipzig in 1796, made a significant contribution to the abolition of serfdom.
The monument created by the sculptor Kārlis Baumanis in memory of a local man Garlieb Merkel has been erected at Lēdurga Church.