It's thought that the name Sangaste might derive from the Latin phrase Sanguis Christi (Blood of Christ), referring to a relic kept in Sangaste's original 13th-century church. The current building dates from 1742, with its baroque gable tower added in 1873. The interior is relatively plain, although it's worth noting the starry sky over the sanctuary and the Calvary scene above the altar, painted in Munich in 1883.
