Dominican Church
It is the oldest church in the town and at the same time
the oldest preserved object of Košice at all. It was built in about
1290 and it is mentioned in the first written document as an
already existing church. The oldest part of it is the nave still in
the Romanesque style with narrow windows which were broadened into
the present shape during the Baroque reconstruction. The sanctuary is
built in Gothic style as well as the tower on the northern joint of
the nave with sanctuary as prescribed by the law for begging orders.
After the fire in 1556, the heavily damaged church served as a
store-house for almost one hundred and fifty years. Only at the
beginning of 18th century, it was salvaged and rebuilt in the
Baroque style.
The interior is richly decorated by wall paintings,
the ceiling was painted by Š. Voroš in 1750 - 1758.
In order to achieve the illusion of antiquity, he even painted cracks
there! The main altar illustrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
The altar of the Rosary Virgin Mary is to be mentioned as it is
believed that the rosary is the idea of Saint Dominicus, the founder
of the order. Paintings and statues in the church represent those
who are the most famous of numerous Dominican saints, i.e. Saint
Dominicus, Catherine of Sienna, Thomas Aquinas, the Dominican nun,
Daughter of Béla IV., Margita (Margaret).
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/place: Dominikánske Square/
MAP of the historical city centre
/(1) © Photo: Marián Krlička/
/(2) Historical postcard from the private collection of Mr. František Máday/
/(3) Historical photograph from collection of the
East Slovakian Museum,
(4-6)
Adolf Materna/