St. Jacob (Levoča)

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Main altar

St. Jacob (Slovak: Bazilika svätého Jakuba ) is a Gothic church in Levoča , Prešovský kraj , Slovakia. The origins of the choir and nave are in the 14th century, whereas the current tower was built in the 19th century. The Catholic parish church is dedicated to the Apostle James . It has numerous Gothic altars, including the tallest carved wood altar in the world. It comes from the workshop of Paul von Leutschau and was completed in 1517. The church contains many other well-preserved art treasures. It is the second largest church in Slovakia. The church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Levoča (Leutschau), Spissky Hrad (Spiš Castle) and associated cultural monuments in 2009 . It is also a national monument. 2015 was by Pope Francis for minor Basilica explained.

history

Exterior of the church
Aisle

Levoča was at the crossroads of important trade routes and was an important administrative center. The construction of the Gothic church of St. Jacob in the city center began in the 14th century. The church dominates the central square of the historic old town, along with the Renaissance town hall. It is a Catholic parish church that was dedicated to the Apostle James . It was built as a three-aisled basilica without a transept with a pentagonal apse. The interior contains several Gothic altars, including the high altar, which at 18.62 meters is the tallest wood-carved altar in the world. It comes from the workshop of the master Paul von Leutschau and was completed in 1517. The church, the second largest in Slovakia, also contains valuable art treasures and furnishings, including monstrances , chalices and other items for worship created by the goldsmith Ján Szillassy. During the Reformation, the church became Lutheran from 1544. For the evangelical service, galleries were built opposite the pulpit, but little else was changed. The wings of the altars were closed. From 1622 an organ was installed. Recatholization took place in the 18th century. From 1706 to 1710, Catholics and Protestants shared the Church, then it became Catholic again.

The steeple was also used as the town's watchtower, particularly to notice fires. The medieval tower was destroyed by lightning in the early 19th century and replaced by a taller neo-Gothic tower. The 70 m high tower was built by Fridrich Muck from 1852 to 1870 and was probably the first structure in this style in Slovakia. A detailed report in the "Mittheilungen der KK Central-Commission for the research and preservation of architectural monuments" describes the building history of the "Catholic parish church St. Jakob zu Leutschau" in 1858.

One bell of the original peal was installed in the town hall, the others melted down during the First World War. They were replaced in 1925. An extensive restoration took place from 1948 to 1949: the roof was replaced, the columns and vaults were cleaned, and the organ restored and relocated. The murals discovered in the process were also restored.

Thanks to its art treasures, the church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Levoča (Leutschau), Spissky Hrad (Spiš Castle) and associated cultural monuments in 2009 . It is also a nationally registered monument. On November 30, 2015, Pope Francis declared it a minor basilica . The tower, which provides an overview of the city center, has been open to visitors since 2016.

Altars

Jacob's Altarpiece
Last Supper , scene on the main altar

The church has 18 altars, the most important of which are:

  • High altar (Jacob's altar). Workshop of Meister Paul (1507–1517) The altar was gradually erected. The retable was completed in 1508. More figures and paintings were probably added by 1515. The last phase, which also included gilding, was completed in 1517. The depictions of the Passion in the polyptych are based on Lucas Cranach's prints of the Passion, which were published in 1509. The figures of the twelve apostles on the altar structure are dated to around 1390 and may have been part of an earlier altar in the church.
  • Sculptures by Master Paul from the altar of the birth of Jesus are now part of the baroque Czaky altar. They were hidden in the town hall for two hundred years during the religious turmoil.
  • Altar of the four St. John (1520, Master Paul): John the Baptist , John the Evangelist , John Chrysostom and John the Almsgiver
  • Altar of St. Anna (Altar of Metercia, 1516), Master Paul
  • Altar St. Peter and Paul (1495, before Master Paul)
  • Altar of Saint Nicholas (1507). The figures of St. Leonard and St. John are by Master Paul, but St. Nicholas is dated to 1360-1370.
  • Altar of St. Catherine of Alexandria (ca.1460)
  • Altar Archangel Michael (ca.1620)
  • Altar of the Good Shepherd (ca.1700)
  • Maria-Schnee- Altar (Altar of the 13 cities)
  • Altar of the Man of Sorrows (Vir dolorum), royal altar for King Matthias Corvinus (1476–1490)
  • Altar of St. Elisabeth the Widow , altarpiece from 1492

The church also contains a statue of St. George with the dragon from the workshop of Master Paul.

Frescoes

Bell in the tower

The church contains several frescoes including:

Painting epitaphs

Some epitaphs that were painted on the church walls are unusual , including an epitaph for Margita Urbanovič, Master Paul's niece. It is the only contemporary document that he designed the high altar.

organ

After earlier instruments, the current organ was built from 1622 by Hans Hummel, who was born in Germany. This instrument was the largest organ in what was then Hungary. It was in a different place. Between 1864 and 1877 she completely rebuilt Lajos Mooser and transferred the housing .

literature

Web links

Commons : St. Jacob (Levoča)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g The Cathedral of St. Jacob in Levoča . chramsvjakuba.sk. 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ a b St Jacob church - Levoča ( English ) Slovak Culture Profile. 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ Levoča celebrates the 500th anniversary of Master Paul's altar . Radio Slovakia International. July 19, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  4. ^ Church of St. James - Levoča . Slovakia Travel. 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ Works of Ján Szilássy ( English ) Slovak Culture Profile. 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  6. ↑ a b Wenzel Merklas: The Catholic parish church of St. Jakob zu Leutschau . In: Communications from the KK Central Commission for Research and Conservation of Architectural Monuments, Volume 3 . Austria Central Commission for Research and Conservation of Architectural Monuments, 1858, pp. 64–72.
  7. ^ Anon (2016), "The Tower of St. James Basilica", leaflet from the city of Levoca.
  8. ↑ Chrám v Levoči vyhlásili za Baziliku menšiu svätého Jakuba v Levoči ( Slovak ) Slovak Bishops . November 30, 2015. Accessed November 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ a b c Gavenda (2006) p. 5.
  10. ↑ Homolka (1965), p. 44.
  11. ↑ Homolka (1965), p. 474.
  12. ↑ a b c d e f g Gavenda (2006) p. 7.
  13. ↑ a b c Gavenda (2006) p. 9.
  14. ↑ Gavenda (2006), p. 9; Homolka (1965), p. 43.
  15. ^ Hans Hummel ( English ) Organs and Organ Builders in Slovakia. 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  16. ^ Organs and Organ Builders in Slovakia. Retrieved December 18, 2017 .

Coordinates: 49 ° 1 ′ 35 ″  N , 20 ° 35 ′ 21 ″  E