Košice.sk

Mayor of Kosice

Ing. František Knapík

Saint Elizabeth's Cathedral

This remarkable medieval monument was built in the High Gothic style. The present cathedral stands on a site formerly occupied by a parish church, which was destroyed by fire around year 1370. The patrons of the church included St. Elizabeth. The construction of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral began approximately in 1378 and was carried out in several stages:

The first stage of construction lasted until about 1420. Originally it was to be a building of a basilica type with five naves, polygonal (traversal) apses and two steeples on the western side. The St. Viktor's church in Xanten on Rhine served as a model.

During the second stage the original project was changed. In an effort to create a modern spacious hall the main nave was intersected with the equally high transverse nave, which resulted in the creation of four lower halls between the arms of the naves.

The St. Cross Chapel (also called the St. Kromerova chapel) was built during the third stage in 1470, later in 1477 the Virgin Mary's chapel, also called Syatmariho chapel, was erected as well as St. Josef's chapel which has not been preserved. The stone Pastophorium and the southern steeple of the cathedral date from the same year.

In 1491 during the siege of the town the cathedral was severely damaged. Restoration works were carried out by masonry master Mikulas Krompholy of Nisa under the supervision of Vaclav of Prague. In 1508 he also completed the construction of presbytery. That year is considered to be the year when the construction of the cathedral, which took more than a 100 years, was definitely completed.

The cathedral was later often damaged by calamites, which left their mark on the cathedral building and its stability. The building underwent numerous restorations. The most extensive restoration works took place in the years 1877 - 1896. As a result of which the interior and the exterior of the cathedral were significantly changed in an effort to return to the original five - naved project. Restoration works were carried out by Franz Schmidt as a supervisor, after designs by Imrich Steindl and by the architects J.Weber and Fr. V. Frohde, who also participated in its restoration.

During this period the restoration of the chapel of St. Josef was canceled, the lierne vaults of the side naves were changed into net vaults, stone parts of the ornaments also underwent certain renovation. During the last phase of the restoration a crypt was built under the northern nave of the cathedral, which was realised by the architect A. Andreeti after designs by Prof. F. Schulek. In 1906 the remains of Francis Rakoczi II and his friends from Turkey were buried there.

The present appearance of the St. Elizabeth's Cathedral preserves a five-nave planning with intersection of the main and traversal naves and with polygonal presbytery. A metallic tower is placed at the point of intersection of the naves. On its southern side there is an entrace chamber with the royal oratory above it and chapels on its sides. The southern steeple, the so-called Matejova, is dated from 1461 and the northern steeple with Rococo helmet dating from 1775 complete the western front of the cathedral. The western portal is decorated with embossed scenes with the following biblical motifs: Jesus in the Gethsemane garden, Piety and Towel of St. Verona.

The richest and artistically the most valuable is the northern portal with the embossed painting. The last Trial executed in two rows one above the other. Also to be seen here are embossed paintings from the life of St. Elizabeth, Virgin Mary with women, St. John with soldiers. Above them there is one more paiting "The Crucifixion". In the middle of the northern portal there is a sculpture of St. Elizabeth. The southern portal has two entrances and forms an integral part of the whole composition according to the original design of the southern entrance chamber.

The interior of the St. Elizabeth's Catedral is very imposing and valuable. In this respect particular mention should be made of the main altar of St. Elizabeth, a hanged sculpure of Immaculata, the Late Gothic altar Visit of Virgin Mary, a stone epitaph of the Reiner family, a wooden sculpture of Virgin Mary, fragments of the wall painting "The Last Trial", the side altar of St. Anton Paduansky, a wall painting "The Resurrection", the bronze font, the altar paiting of St. Anna Metercia, Gothic Calvary, the lantern of the king Matthew, wooden polychrome sculptures, the side altar Worship of three Kings, Neo-Gothic stone pulpit. Valuable masterpieces and relics are preserved in the treasury.

Reconstruction works currently being carried out on the cathedral began in 1978.

Pictures of some reconstructed Cathedral's parts
Pictures of Cathedral from the west - Elizabeth Street

/© Photo: Alexander Jiroušek/