The Roman-Catholic Parish Church

The parish church is the most important artistic and historical landmark in Spišská Nová Ves and stands at the heart of the town. In the past, it was enclosed by a stone wall, along whose outer side stood butchers’ stalls as well as the workshops of blacksmiths and locksmiths. The churchyard was accessible through two gates, and a cemetery occupied its southern and eastern sections.

A Brief History of the Church

Much of the church’s 14th-century architecture has survived to the present day, although the building has undergone numerous repairs and alterations over the centuries. In the mid-15th century, a devastating earthquake struck Spišská Nová Ves, causing the collapse of the church’s original flat ceiling. A few years later, it was replaced by a ribbed vault, supported by newly added polygonal pillars.

Another major renovation took place in 1576. The church’s original Gothic tower, dating from the early 16th century, also required restoration. At that time, it was a relatively low tower with a gallery and a shingled roof. During the installation of a new bell in 1649, it became clear that the roof was ill-suited to the local weather conditions. The tower was therefore redesigned and topped with an onion-shaped dome, which remained in place until the great fire of 1849. A new clock had already been installed in the tower in 1608, followed by a copper roof in 1760.

Between 1771 and 1772, the sanctuary was rebuilt in its present form and richly decorated with motifs of the Holy Spirit and angels. At the same time, alterations were made to the sacristy, which also served as an electoral chamber. In 1789, the church received new flooring, and the original wooden choir loft was replaced by a masonry structure embellished with Classical stucco decoration. The organ was renovated in 1824.

The fire of 1849 caused extensive damage to the church, its tower, and several neighbouring houses. The most comprehensive restoration in the church’s history followed between 1886 and 1887. The interior was refurbished with tiles imported from Vienna, stained-glass windows, new lamps, candlesticks, and chandeliers produced in workshops in Vienna and Budapest. The roof was fully repaired in 1890.

The most beautiful and most precious parts of the church

One of the most beautiful parts of the church is the portal in the south. Of particular note is the relief which depicts the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, The Mother of God. This relief is one of the oldest sculptures in Slovakia.
The most valuable is a statuary, The Crucifiction (from 1520) - the cross, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows and St. John, which is one of the best works of Master Pavol of Levoča.The Polyptich is also rare depicting a tortured Jesus Christ and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows (from 1500). The picture had been part of the old altar of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows and made by Master Mikuláš from Levoča.

Church treasures

A reliquary in the shape of a cross by Mikuláš Gallicus from Siena is from the 1st half of the 14th century
Tabula Pacis crosses from the 15th century
A monstrance from the 16th century assumed to be made by the goldsmith António
A gilded silver chalice (25 cm high) from 1795 by Ján Kolbenhayer from Levoča
A bronze baptistery from 1549, part of which , according to historians, is made by Master Konrád, the founder of the first Gothic bell-foundry workshop in the Spiš region

The most clock faces

On its four sides it has 7 clock faces - four of them are in the upper part and three of them are in lower part of the tower. These are remains of the original Gothic tower, which was rebuilt in 1649. All 7 clock faces are run by a single clock mechanism. This unusual number of clocks brought local inhabitants the funny nickname of the „Blind Spiš People“.