Northern portal of St. Bartholomew Church / Severní portál kostela Sv. Bartolomeje - Pardubice (East Bohemia)
N 50° 02.334 E 015° 46.638
33U E 555661 N 5543245
Depicted highly decorative Renaissance stone portal with wooden door of St. Bartholomew Church (kostel Sv. Bartolomeje) is without any doubts one of the most valuable architectonic elements of this late-Gothic-Renaissance landmark of Pardubice city.
Waymark Code: WMV9AM
Location: Pardubický kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/18/2017
Views: 22
Depicted highly decorative Renaissance stone portal with wooden door of St. Bartholomew Church (kostel Sv. Bartolomeje) is without any doubts one of the most valuable architectonic elements of this late-Gothic-Renaissance landmark of Pardubice city.
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The stone carved portal, installed in 1519, is decorated by two side Corinth columns and also by beautiful relief depicting the origin of Lords of Pernstein (founders of the Church) coat of arms. The relief is situated directly above the upper portal's cornice. Also the woden door with decorated ironwork is an exceptional example of the Renaissance arts and crafts.
The stone relief describes tale of Perstein family ancestor, charcoal burner Vanek (also Venava or Wienawa), who lived in a Moravian forests in ancient times. Hardly working all of his days, he returned hungry from the woods one evening, looking forward to his-poor repast. But barely arrived at his poor house, he saw the broken door. Angered went inside and soon saw only breadcrumbs on the table and on the ground...
After this sad discovery he decided that he will not go into the forest tomorrow morning. Hidden behind the cottage he was lurking for mysterious robber. After long waiting he heard stomping and snorting, peeked out from his hide place and saw approaching wisent (European bison). Wisent immediately broken the door and entered into cottage. Vanek did not believe his eyes, but soon recovered. Just a moment, thought about it and then decided to act. Meanwhile, as the wisent was enjoying his bread, Vanek approached quietly to the cottage. After short fight, when wisent was unable to move in a small room, Vanek put the nose ring into its nostrils and took wisent to royal castle in Brno.
On the way to the castle he was accompanied by words of astonishment and admiration and eventually he stayed before the King in royal castle.
The King, amazed by Vanek's bravery and strength, asked him what such a brave man wants as a gift for his courage. Vanek replied that he need only freedom and own piece of land. Because the king had donated the land and freedom to him immediately, grateful Vanek once again decided to demonstrate his abilities. Thus he beheaded the wissent before the king by one axe' blow... King was impressed again and immediately decided to give to Vanek his own coat of arms - black wissent head with golden nose ring in silver field. And at the site of Vanek's old poor wooden cottage was soon erected stone castle called later Pernstein...
Late-Gothic and Renaissance Church of St. Bartholomew, parish church of Pardubice Roman Catholic parish, is one of the most historically and architectonically valuable monuments in the city.