Basilica of St. James, Levoča

Lore & Background

Building of the Gothic church began in the centre of Levoča, then in the Kingdom of Hungary, in the 14th century. The church dominates the main square of the historic town, together with a Renaissance town hall. It is a Catholic church, dedicated to James the Apostle. During the Reformation, the church was Protestant from 1544. An organ was built from 1622. The church tower was also used as a watchtower by the town, to give the alert to any incipient fires. The medieval tower was itself damaged by lightning in the early nineteenth century, and was replaced by a neo-Gothic tower designed by Fridrich Muck and constructed in 1852–1870, which is 70 meters high. Of the original tower bells, one was relocated in the bell tower of the Town Hall; the others were melted down during World War I and were replaced in 1925. Since 2016 the tower has been opened to visitors.

The interior features several Gothic altars, including as the main altar the world's tallest wooden altar at 18.62 metres (61.1 ft). It was created by the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča and completed in 1517. The church has 18 altars. The high altar (Altar of St. James the Apostle) was created by Master Paul 1507–1517. The altar was constructed in stages. The retable was completed in 1508. Additional sculpture and painting may have been completed by 1515. The last phases, including gilding, were carried out by 1517. Many of the paintings of the Passion on the altar's polyptych are based on the engravings by Lucas Cranach of the Passion cycle, published in 1509. The statues of the Twelve Apostles on the altar's ciborium date from about 1390, and may have been part of an earlier altar in the church.

The church also houses precious furniture and art work, such as works of the jeweler János Szillassy. The church has numerous frescoes, including a cycle of frescoes 'Seven Virtues and Seven Vices' dating from c. 1385, twenty scenes from the legend of St. Dorothy (c. 1400), and a wall painting of the Last Judgement (c. 1500). An unusual feature is a number of painted epitaphs on the church walls, including the epitaph of Margita Urbanovič, Master Paul's niece, which is the only specific contemporary record that Paul was the creator of the high altar.

Reader's Guide

The Basilica of St. James in Levoča is significant as a major Gothic church in Slovakia, the second largest in the country, and a key component of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments' (designated 2009). Its primary claim to fame is the world's tallest wooden altar, a 18.62-metre Gothic masterpiece completed in 1517 by the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča. The church's interior preserves a remarkable collection of Gothic altars, frescoes, and painted epitaphs, including the only contemporary record linking Master Paul to the high altar. The church's history reflects the region's religious shifts, having been Protestant from 1544 during the Reformation. The neo-Gothic tower, built after lightning damage in the early 19th century, is one of the first such structures in what is now Slovakia. The church's designation as a basilica minor by Pope Francis in 2015 underscores its enduring religious and cultural importance. The organ, built from 1622 by Hans Hummel and completed after his death by Juraj Nitrovský, was at the time the largest in the Kingdom of Hungary. The church remains a central landmark in Levoča's historic square, attracting visitors for its art, architecture, and history.

Did You Know?

• The church's main altar is the world's tallest wooden altar, at 18.62 metres (61.1 ft).
• The church was Protestant from 1544 during the Reformation.
• The organ builder Hans Hummel fell to his death from scaffolding in 1630 during construction.
• The epitaph of Master Paul's niece, Margita Urbanovič, is the only contemporary record that Paul created the high altar.