Kraków, Poland, Kościół Mariacki (Marienkirche), Chiesa di Santa Maria, Iglesia de Santa María, Eglise de Sainte Marie, St. Mary's Church (gotisch) - Plac Mariacki (Marienplatz)

History

According to John Dlugosz first brick Romanesque church was founded by Bishop Iwo Odrowąż of Cracow in the years 1221-1222 on the site of the original wooden temple. Soon, however, the building was destroyed during the Mongol invasions.

In the years 1290-1300 was built partly on the previous foundations an early Gothic hall church, which was consecrated around the year 1320-1321. The work, however, continued even in the third decade of the fourteenth century.

In the period 1355-1365, through the foundation of Nicholas Wierzynka (citizen of Krakow and Sandomierz esquire carver), built the current sanctuary.

On the other hand, in the years 1392-1397 were instructed master Nicholas Werner better illumination of the church. The builder has lowered the walls of the aisles and, of main introduced the large window openings. In this way the indoor arrangement of the temple has changed over the basilica.

In 1443 (or 1442) he was a strong earthquake that caused the collapse of the ceiling of the temple.

In the first half of the fifteenth century the side chapels were added. Most of them were the work of a master Francis Wiechonia of Kleparz. At the same time it was increased north tower, designed to act as guardians of the city. In 1478 the carpenter Matias Heringkan covered the tower helmet. On it, in 1666, was placed a gilded crown.

At the end of the fifteenth century, the temple of Mary was enriched with sculptural masterpiece of the late Gothic Altar - Great - a work of Veit Stoss.

At the beginning of the sixteenth Polish begin the Paradise demand spolszczenia church belonging to the municipality German. In opposition are mayors of German cities Cipsar, Morsztyn, Ajchler and Shilling, who wanted to defend his possessions. The dispute also enters the Parliament, which in 1537 and under pressure from the nobility found edict of Sigismund I, to the morning worship German confined to after-dinner.

In the eighteenth century, at the behest of Archpriest Jack Augusta Łopackiego, interior thoroughly converted in the late Baroque style. The author of this work was Francesco Placidi. Then listed 26 altars, equipment, furniture, benches, paintings, and the walls are decorated with polychrome brush Andrzej Radwanski. From this period comes too the late Baroque porch.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, in the framework of reorganizing the city closed down the churchyard. This is how the Marienplatz St. Mary's square arose.

In the years 1887-1891, under the direction of Tadeusz Stryjeński introduced into the interior of the neo-Gothic decor. Temple has a new design and murals by Jan Matejko, which collaborated Stanislaw Wyspianski and Mehoffer - authors of the stained glass windows in the chancel and the main organ.

Since the early 90s of the twentieth century were carried out a comprehensive restoration work, which resulted in the church regained its brilliance. The last element of repair was the replacement of roof in 2003.

April 18, 2010 year at St. Mary's Church held a funeral ceremony tragically deceased President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria, whose coffins then buried in a crypt of the Wawel Cathedral.

External architecture

The church from the south-west

View from the west

Church on the south side; on the facade visible sundial

View of St. Mary's Church from Wawel

View of St. Mary's Church mound of Krak

The present shape of the church gave reconstruction system basilica, which took place in the years 1392-1397.

Towers

The facade of the temple is included in two towers:

The tower higher, called the Bugle, it is 82 meters high. It is built on a square plan, which at a height of nine stories goes octagon, opened up lancet niches, falling two stories of windows. Gothic towers covers the helmet, which is the work of a master Matias Heringkana of 1478 helmet consists of an octagonal, sharpened spire, surrounded by a ring of eight lower turrets. On the needle was placed in 1666 gilded crown with a diameter of 2.4 m. And a height of 1.3 m. From the tower, with a height of 54 meters, it is played hourly bugle Mary. It is one of the symbols of Krakow. At the foot, from the north, is a rectangular annex, located a stone staircase leading to the interior of the tower. The entrance to the tower draws attention to a large, cast in bronze plaque depicting the entrance of King Jan III Sobieski. It was made on the basis of the draft sculptor Pius Weloński 1883 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the siege of Vienna. On the tower there is a bell clock back to 1530 (tons Impact d ', diameter 165 cm).

In 2013. due to the poor technical condition of the tower was closed to the public. Re-making is expected in April 2015, after completion of the work related to the installation of new electrical, heating and plumbing, and the installation of a new - metal - staircase.

Lower tower, with a height of 69 meters, is for the church bell tower. Built on a square plan, it has clearly marked on the entire height of the cornices and windows division storey. On the first floor there is the Renaissance chapel of the Conversion of St. Paul (Kaufman). Outside, next to the window of the chapel, the trójspadowym roof is suspended bell "for the dying", cast by Kacper Koerber from Wroclaw in 1736. Tower covers the late Renaissance helmet, constructed in 1592, consisting of an elliptical dome, mounted on octagonal drum and topped with openwork lantern. In the corners are set four smaller domes on low, hexagonal bases. Suspended bell in the clock back to 1530 (diameter 135 cm), now unused.

Facade

The slender walls of the sanctuary are elongated, arched windows are decorated with floral motifs, and the keys figural sculptures of symbolic. Equally rich sculptural decoration presents 21 figures, placed on consoles, supporting the cornice crowning the walls of the main building. On the wall of the chapel. St. John of Nepomuk is a sundial made in sgraffito technique by Tadeusz Przypkowski in 1954.

Porch

For the interior of the temple, from the front, leading Baroque porch. It was built between 1750-1753, designed by Francesco Placidi. The shape of it is modeled on the architectural form of the Holy Sepulchre. Wooden door decorated with carved heads of Polish saints, prophets and apostles. It made in 1929 by Karol Hukan.

Above the porch is a large, arched window with stained glass windows, projected by Joseph Mehoffer and Wyspiański. Decorative division of windows made in 1891 according to the concept of Jan Matejko.

Kuna

At the entrance to the basilica, from the Saint Mary's square, is mounted kuna (ie. the rim penitents), which was formerly assumed on the heads of particular sinners. Rim penitents was mounted at such a height that convicted her could neither sit up nor kneel, what was all the more a nuisance punishment. For centuries the level of the square plate lifted in and out of the rim is a little above the ground.

Interior

Presbytery

The nave

Choir and organ

The chancel with altar by Veit Stoss

The presbytery is covered with a stellar vault, made by master Czipsera in 1442. The keystones ribs appear coats of arms: Polish, Cracow and the bishop Iwo Odrowąż - founder of the first church of St. Mary. The perimeter niches set statues of prophets, Jeremiah, Daniel, David, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jonah. He made it in 1891, the Krakow sculptor Zygmunt Langman.

The walls adorned with wall paintings made in the years 1890-1892 by Jan Matejko. With its implementation cooperated with the master many of his students, later famous and prominent painters, m.in .: Anthony Grammar, Edward Better, Stanislaw Bankiewicz, Mehoffer, Stanislaw Wyspianski. Technical drawings made by Tomasz Lisiewicz and gilding work is the work of Michael Stojakowski. Stained glass windows in this part of the church are by Joseph Mehoffer, Stanislaw Wyspianski and Tadeusz Dmochowskiego.

On both sides of the presbytery covered with a canopy set up stalls. They were made in 1586 and then in 1635 supplemented by zapleckami that Fabian Möller decorated with bas-reliefs with scenes from the life of Christ and Mary. At the stalls right to present: Jesse Tree, Nativity of Mary, the Presentation of Mary, Marriage of St. Joseph, the Annunciation, the Visitation of St. Elizabeth and Christmas. At the stalls northern (left) are sculptures: Circumcision, Adoration of the Magi, The Presentation of Jesus in the temple, Farewell to the Mother, the Risen Christ appears to Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, and the Coronation of the Madonna and Child surrounded by symbols of the Litany of Loreto. On the chorus authorities 12-voice.

The chancel is completed apse, which separates from the rest of the church, made in bronze, openwork balustrade with two goals. Hinged door decorated with the coats of arms of Krakow and archiprezbiterów church - Kłośnik and Prawdzic. Stained glass windows in the apse from the years 1370-1400, and made them master Nicholas called vitreator de Cracowia. They include two thematic cycles: the Book of Genesis in the Old and New Testaments and scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary.

The main altar

Main article: Altarpiece of Veit Stoss.

The main altar dedicated to Mary adorned with the great late Gothic altarpiece made in the years 1477 to 1489 by Veit Stoss what is the chef d'oeuvre of the artist of Krakow and Nuremberg. Numbering approx. 13 × 13 m. Polyptych consists of a main body of the cabinet-pełnoplastycznymi sculptures forming two scenes - the Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary, two pairs of wings, movable and immovable. The continuation of the main thread is placed at the final Coronation of the Virgin in the company of two major Polish patrons - saints Stanislaw and Wojciech. On the side wings deployed bas-relief presenting forming two cycles of the life of Mary and Jesus Christ. The basis creates a predella with a plot Tree of Jesse.

The body of the aisle

The body creates nave nave with a pair of aisles are adjacent chapels. The body consists of four spans, the inside is covered with cross-ribbed vault built with the exception of later chapels, whose vaults are a diverse system of ribs.

The nave

The vault of the nave

The nave with a height of 28 meters is covered with a cross-ribbed vault. Murals done in the years 1890-1892 by Jan Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspiański, who also designed the stained glass windows.

Above the cornice running around the nave are placed wooden statues: St. Stefan St. Kinga, Saint. Stanislaus Kostka, St.. Casimir, St. Jadwiga of Anjou, St. Ursula, St. Jack St. Adalbert, Bl. Salome and Bl. Bronisława. The sculptures are the work of Zygmunt Langman from the early twentieth century.

With the pillars separating the nave from the side, there are the eighteenth-century, late baroque altars. They have placed in them images: Giovanni Battista Pittoniego, Jacob Martens, Hans Suess Kulmbach, Luke Orlowski and others.

At the main entrance, next to the altar are covered with a canopy stalls councilors, aldermen, trustees and powerful families of Krakow from the seventeenth century. Nave and chancel is divided, placed on a rainbow (designed by Jan Matejko), a crucifix - the work of students Veit Stoss.

The eastern part of the main body houses several works of art, including ciborium of Giovanni Maria Padovano and several altars. Above the entrance to the choir authorities 56-voice bearing a decorative cover.

Northern nave

On the north side (left) is a Baroque church altar. St. Stanislaus (closing the left aisle) from the second half of the seventeenth century with a carved scene of the Resurrection Piotrowin. Mounted here is the Gothic mensa of approx. 1400 płaskorzeźbną decoration.

Second baroque altar was made in 1725 by the architect of Krakow Casper Bazanka. In it is a picture of the Annunciation, painted in 1740 by Giovanni Battista Pittoniego. At the gate railings bears decorative coat of arms Polish.

In front of the altar is a family tomb Celarich made in 1616. In niches set busts of the founders: Paul Celariego and his wife Margaret of Khodorkovsky and Andrew Celariego with his wife Margaret of Mączyńskich. At the top of the allegorical sculptures symbolize Faith and Hope.

Southern nave

Ciborium, on the right - a crucifix by Veit Stoss

Crucifix Veit Stoss

Main article: Crucifix Veit Stoss.

On the south (right) side there is a late Baroque altar (closing the right aisle) 1735, which is a stone crucifix, a work of Veit Stoss. Same crucifix was built in the late 80s and early 90s the fifteenth century at the request of the royal minter John Albert - Henryk Slacker. The image of Christ is characterized by naturalism and doloryzmem. The artist strongly stressed suffering martyrdom, but also its saving, triumphant aspect. Jesus has opened the eyes directed toward the person praying what may certify a devotional character of the dzieła.Tło cross is silver plate with views of Jerusalem, made in 1723 by Joseph Ceyplera.

Other equipment

Next to the altar is a Renaissance ciborium, designed in 1552 by Italian sculptor and architect Jan Maria Padovano, founded by Krakow goldsmiths Andrew Mastelli and Jerzy Pipan. Richly developed architecturally, the building is made of sand stone with the addition of multi-colored marble. From the aisles separating ciborium balustrade railings, and openwork gate, cast in bronze in 1595 by Michael Otto, who decorated them emblems of Polish and Lithuanian. There is also a chorus of historic organs.

Opposite the ciborium is a family tomb Montelupi (Wilczogórskich), whose origin should be attributed to the workshop of postgucciowskim (1600-1603). In the middle of the tombstone are carved in marble busts of the founders: Sebastian Montelupi and his wife Ursula of the base and Valery Montelupi with his wife Helena with Moreckich. In the top there heraldic cartouches and allegorical figures: Fortitude, Temperance and Prudence.

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