Rotunda of the Virgin Mary and St. Catherine, Znojmo, Czech Republic - Medieval Churches on Waymarking.com

Znojmo’s most precious historic monument. Although experts still have not uttered the ultimate statement, the latest analyses show that this Romanesque circular church may well have been built in the 1080s by Conrad I of Brno (1035-1092), the lord of Moravia. At that time, Conrad was founding a new castle at Znojmo because the old ducal seat at Hradište/Pöltenberg had from a strategic point of view become unsafe. This mighty rotunda is one of the most unique buildings in the whole of the Czech Republic particularly for its late-11-century frescoes. Influenced (and probably also painted) by contemporary Byzantine artists, they prove that Znojmo dukes were no mere local rulers but internationally active politicians. Typical New Testament motives are here combined with a gallery of members of the Premyslid dynasty ruling over the Czech lands at that time. Since Znojmo dukes were usually younger relatives of the ruling dukes in Prague, the gallery apparently symbolizes a formal hereditary right of each member of the dynasty to rule as a sovereign on the throne in Prague. The central position among all the Premyslid princes painted on the rotunda walls belongs to Vratislaus II, the first King of Bohemia, Conrad’s elder brother.

After establishing Znojmo a royal town rotunda became a part of the royal castle. Since the 16. century rotunda was sold to the town and successively it was used as a storeroom for wood, a pigsty, a pub a dance place and finally as a basket workshop.In the middle of the 19.century some public voices required the rotunda to be preserved and reconstructed.

The first restoration of this monument was made by a Vienesse painter Melicher in the end of the 19.century.In 1938 it was partly restored by another Austrian painter Walliser.Only after the World War II. it was restored by professional academic painters Fisher, Alt and Martan.

The content of the paitings still remains a subject of the research. Experts suppose, that except biblical motives, the scenes are devoted to the genealogy of the Premyslid dynasty with the main scene of calling the Premysl Ploughman to the throne. This scene is followed by the portraits galery of 27 princes.

The Romanesque paintings are made in fresco-secco technology in yellow, ochre,blue and green colours.Rotunda of St.Catherine was declared our national sight of historical interest and became a symbol of the Czech State.

Building Materials: Stone

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/31/2022 MTFK.papua visited it 07/12/2022 davidb11 visited it 02/02/2019 Tumbrel visited it 09/14/2017 saint florian visited it 08/19/2015 DrakMrak visited it 08/13/2014 J.Kaas & family visited it 02/16/2014 Noe1 visited it 10/04/2013 Olii05 visited it 04/03/2013 Monty&Miru visited it 10/06/2012 Kurupira visited it 08/31/2012 puczmeloun visited it 07/16/2012 ubytovani-znojmo_biz visited it 07/12/2012 ubytovani-znojmo_biz visited it 04/29/2012 Rikitan visited it 04/30/2011 Kubickovi visited it 02/06/2011 Arogant visited it 12/26/2010 LunaWZN visited it 12/12/2010 honny visited it 08/12/2010 ALMOR team visited it 09/09/2008 pavlikVB visited it 07/30/2007 mispulin visited it

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