The St. Mary’s Church in Rõuge was originally built in 1550, but it was damaged badly in the Great Northern War. The present church was reconstructed in 1730’s. In 1854 the church obtained its organ and the altar picture of 'Christ on the cross' by R. von Mühlen.
In 1860 the building was completely renovated, with the walls being made higher and a mirrored arch installed. The Kriisa brothers donated a 31-register organ they had built to the church in 1930. The first Estonian pastor in Rõuge was Rudolf Gottfried Kallas.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.