{"id":2025,"date":"2020-05-29T08:46:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T07:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.regionsaris.sk\/historia\/konkatedrala-sv-mikulasa\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T13:56:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T12:56:30","slug":"konkatedrala-sv-mikulasa","status":"publish","type":"historia","link":"https:\/\/www.regionsaris.sk\/en\/historia\/konkatedrala-sv-mikulasa\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Nicholas Cathedral"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Nicholas Cathedral<\/strong> is one of the most significant historical landmarks Pre\u0161ov<\/a>. It is the oldest building and the only surviving Gothic religious building in the town \u2013 an imposing three-nave structure that was once considered one of the finest hall churches in the whole of Hungary. Today, it is not only a valuable monument with a rich history, but also a popular destination for visitors, who admire the unique view of Pre\u0161ov\u2019s historic centre from its tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Gothic gem in the heart of Pre\u0161ov<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Co-Cathedral in Pre\u0161ov is the oldest building and the only surviving Gothic religious building in the city. The church is a Gothic three-nave structure, a so-called hall church, a style that was particularly widespread in German-speaking regions. In the past, it was regarded as one of the finest hall churches in the former Kingdom of Hungary, and amongst structures of the same type in Slovakia, its dimensions place it second only to St James\u2019s Church in Levo\u010da and St Martin\u2019s Cathedral in Bratislava.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of the church<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Its origins date back to the pre-urban period, and a church belonging to the German settlement is thought to have stood on this site as early as the 13th century. Its construction dates back to 1347, when Queen Elizabeth granted the people of Pre\u0161ov permission to quarry stone in the \u0160ari\u0161 region for this purpose. The church burnt down six times, most recently in 1887. It served as a Catholic parish church until 1531, when the majority of the townspeople, together with the priests, adopted Luther\u2019s teachings. For the next 140 years, it then served as a Protestant church for citizens of German nationality. Following the occupation of the town by Habsburg troops in 1671, it was converted into a Catholic church; during Imre T\u00f6k\u00f6li\u2019s uprising between 1682 and 1686, it became a Protestant church once more. It last served as a German Evangelical church during the uprising led by Francis II R\u00e1k\u00f3czi between 1705 and 1711. Since then, it has been a Roman Catholic parish church. In 2008, the parish church of St Nicholas was elevated to the status of co-cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artistic and religious monuments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Originally, the church had 12 Gothic altars. Most of them were destroyed in fires, but particularly as a result of religious strife during the anti-Habsburg uprisings. Of the remaining Gothic artefacts, the church still houses an exceptionally valuable sculpture of the Crucified Christ from the first half of the 14th century, a statuette of Christ the Suffering by Master Paul of Levo\u010da, and a sculpture of the Archangel Gabriel from the 15th century, which was exhibited at the 1873 World\u2019s Fair in Vienna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The view from the co-cathedral tower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the church tower, you\u2019ll be treated to a unique view of Pre\u0161ov\u2019s historic square, the rooftops of the medieval town houses and the surrounding region. St Nicholas Co-Cathedral and its tower are open daily during the summer season to both groups and individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Nicholas Co-Cathedral \u2013 climb the tower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the church tower, you\u2019ll be treated to a unique view of Pre\u0161ov\u2019s historic square, the rooftops of medieval town houses and the surrounding region. The climb to the top, at a height of around 70 metres, involves climbing more than 200 steps, but the reward is a 360-degree bird\u2019s-eye view of Pre\u0161ov. On the way up, you can see an exhibition of drawings and photographs documenting the church\u2019s transformations, the mechanism of the historic bells, and a curiosity in the form of the bell-ringer\u2019s former toilet. The tower of St Nicholas\u2019s Co-Cathedral is usually open to groups and individuals during the summer season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: OOCR R\u0160
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