Bazilika svätého Jakuba / Basilica of St. James - Levoca (North-East Slovakia)
N 49° 01.575 E 020° 35.353
34U E 469970 N 5430455
Gothic Basilica of St. James (Bazilika svätého Jakuba), with construction which begun in 1330, belongs among the most precious monuments of sacral architecture in Slovakia and is also a part of UNESCO World heritage site.
Waymark Code: WMVZXN
Location: Prešovský kraj, Slovakia
Date Posted: 06/18/2017
Views: 3
Gothic Basilica of St. James (Bazilika svätého Jakuba), with construction which begun in 1330, belongs among the most precious monuments of sacral architecture in Slovakia and is also a part of UNESCO World heritage site "Levoca, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments". Church is not only one of the principal touristic attractions of Spiš region, but also of whole NE Slovakia.
The history and architectural development of the basilica is deeply connected with history of Free Royal Town of Levoca, which was also the capital of Province of 24 Spiš Saxon Towns in 1344-1412. Church, Gothic three-nave psudobasilica, was built at the site of older Romanesque structure in 1330-1370. The side chapel of St. George with distinctive gable was added at the norther wall by Košice townsman Juraj Ulenbach as his burial chapel in 1390–1392. It was a last main step in the construction of the second biggest Gothic church in Slovak territory.
It is likely that the methods involved in the construction of the Levoca church were partly influenced by the Czech court architecture of the Luxembourg period, as evidenced, for example, by the character of the so-called flamboyant tracing of some basilica' windows typical for Peter Parler workshop.
The unique and extremely valuable are Gothic and Renaissance interior, furniture of the Basilica and also a many of architectural details of the buildings. Numerous wall frescoes (ca 1400) or unique collection of twelve medieval wing altars and sculptures by Master Paul of Levoca made in 1508–1520 are jewels of Gothic art. The stunning polychromed 18.6 m high main alterpiece, the highest Gothic wooden altar in the World, is also listed in UNESCO World Heritage List. Such a collection of Gothic altars are not even in the world's largest galleries. The church features also the tombstones since 1392, particular of Turzo family (16th century), epitaphs and mortuary (17th century), Gothic font, Renaissance pulpit (ca 1626, K. Kollmitz), Renaissance organ (1615), goblets, Ciborias and monstrances.
Church of St. James became a Lutheran church after 1544 and remained in the hands of Reformed church for next 130 years, but fortunatelly without negative effects often common during changes of the church's orientation during these turbulent period of European history. Church has been developing again, organ matroneum was built and organ was subsequently installed in 1615. Worse was devastating Levoca fire in 1550, which damaged badly part of the church's furniture, so St. James was equipped by a Renaissance benches, stalla ans also many of Renaissance tombstones were installed in the churchs walls. Catholic again from 1674, church changed its appearance during the 18-19th centuries, e.g. the upper part of the bellfry was completely rebuilt in neo-Gothic style by architect Ludovít Schmidt in 1852–1858. General reconstruction of the church in the 70's of the 19th century affected the interior - original windows were replaced by stained glass windows.
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