600th ANNIVERSARY - Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary
600th ANNIVERSARY
Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary the Protector on Ptujska Gora is Celebrating its 600th Anniversary
The sanctuary of the Mantled Virgin Mary on Ptujska Gora is considered to be the masterpiece of medieval art in Slovenia, the Song of Songs of Slovenian gothic art. This extraordinary building reflects all three major plastic art forms - architecture, sculpture and painting - all representing an exceptionally high aesthetic and creative level of the diverse historical art forms, styles and influences of the leading European artistic centres of the past.
Visiting the church and its art treasures is a very special aesthetic experience and an outstanding journey into the unusual spiritual world that has been created on Ptujska gora for six centuries. It reflects the development of the most different ideas that were the result of different historical realities, as well as human gratitude and the most profound faith in divine mercy.
The oldest known name of Ptujska Gora is preserved in Latin language, Mons gratiarum (Mount of Mercy) which takes its origin in Slovenian name Gora (Mount). Its German name Maria Neustift on the other side is related to the construction of the church dedicated to Virgin Mary. Although there are many legends on the origins of Ptujska Gora St. Mary’s sanctuary, we relate its beginnings to the solemn vow of the most prominent representatives of the Styrian nobility of that time who had returned home after the defeat of the Christian army by Turks near Nikopolje in Bulgaria. The prime initiative to build this church came from Ulrich IV from the family of Walsee-Drosendorf, from 1396 the leaseholder of the Majdburg estate where the church of Ptujska Gora is located, a former castle in the vicinity of Lovrenc in Dravsko Polje. After his death in the year 1400, the responsibility for building was taken over by Bernard of Ptuj. At the beginning an important contribution was made also by the Count Herman II of Celje. It is most probably that he ordered to build up a special altar consecrated to St. Mary of the Annunciation in the middle of the church. The building works were finished around the year 1410. The church was envisioned as an edifice in the form of a triple-nave hall with a tiered presbytery and a belfry incorporated into the body of the nave, following the example of two important Styrian pilgrimage churches at Stassengel and Poelauberg. In order to carry out the building works the contractors used to invite to Ptujska Gora the best contemporary central European artists who had actually mastered their art skills on the building sites of St. Vitus’ Cathedral in Prague and that of St. Stephen’s in Vienna besides many others all around different German countries of the former Holy Roman Empire..
As an important pilgrimage place the building often underwent several calamities and joyful periods during its history. In the 17th and 18th century it was run by Jesuits and it was not until the year 1786 that the sanctuary became the seat of the new parish. Whereas since 1937 the Franciscans belonging to the Order of Friars Minor have been taking care of the sanctuary.
In the present year 2010 our church is celebrating an important jubilee –the 600th anniversary that represents also an important turning point in the history of our church as in the 2009 the Pope Benedict XVI signed the document declaring the sanctuary of Ptujska gora as Basilica of the Virgin Mary the Protector. The inauguration took place on the 16th of May 2010.
PhD Robert Peskar
Založba Družina
Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary the Protector on Ptujska Gora
Directions
Address and place of your departure point (point A)
and destination point, Ptujska Gora (point B)
Photography: Matjaž Učakar
Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary the Protector on Ptujska Gora is Celebrating its 600th Anniversary
The sanctuary of the Mantled Virgin Mary on Ptujska Gora is considered to be the masterpiece of medieval art in Slovenia, the Song of Songs of Slovenian gothic art. This extraordinary building reflects all three major plastic art forms - architecture, sculpture and painting - all representing an exceptionally high aesthetic and creative level of the diverse historical art forms, styles and influences of the leading European artistic centres of the past.
Visiting the church and its art treasures is a very special aesthetic experience and an outstanding journey into the unusual spiritual world that has been created on Ptujska gora for six centuries. It reflects the development of the most different ideas that were the result of different historical realities, as well as human gratitude and the most profound faith in divine mercy.
The oldest known name of Ptujska Gora is preserved in Latin language, Mons gratiarum (Mount of Mercy) which takes its origin in Slovenian name Gora (Mount). Its German name Maria Neustift on the other side is related to the construction of the church dedicated to Virgin Mary. Although there are many legends on the origins of Ptujska Gora St. Mary’s sanctuary, we relate its beginnings to the solemn vow of the most prominent representatives of the Styrian nobility of that time who had returned home after the defeat of the Christian army by Turks near Nikopolje in Bulgaria. The prime initiative to build this church came from Ulrich IV from the family of Walsee-Drosendorf, from 1396 the leaseholder of the Majdburg estate where the church of Ptujska Gora is located, a former castle in the vicinity of Lovrenc in Dravsko Polje. After his death in the year 1400, the responsibility for building was taken over by Bernard of Ptuj. At the beginning an important contribution was made also by the Count Herman II of Celje. It is most probably that he ordered to build up a special altar consecrated to St. Mary of the Annunciation in the middle of the church. The building works were finished around the year 1410. The church was envisioned as an edifice in the form of a triple-nave hall with a tiered presbytery and a belfry incorporated into the body of the nave, following the example of two important Styrian pilgrimage churches at Stassengel and Poelauberg. In order to carry out the building works the contractors used to invite to Ptujska Gora the best contemporary central European artists who had actually mastered their art skills on the building sites of St. Vitus’ Cathedral in Prague and that of St. Stephen’s in Vienna besides many others all around different German countries of the former Holy Roman Empire..
As an important pilgrimage place the building often underwent several calamities and joyful periods during its history. In the 17th and 18th century it was run by Jesuits and it was not until the year 1786 that the sanctuary became the seat of the new parish. Whereas since 1937 the Franciscans belonging to the Order of Friars Minor have been taking care of the sanctuary.
In the present year 2010 our church is celebrating an important jubilee –the 600th anniversary that represents also an important turning point in the history of our church as in the 2009 the Pope Benedict XVI signed the document declaring the sanctuary of Ptujska gora as Basilica of the Virgin Mary the Protector. The inauguration took place on the 16th of May 2010.
PhD Robert Peskar
Založba Družina
Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary the Protector on Ptujska Gora
Directions
Address and place of your departure point (point A)
and destination point, Ptujska Gora (point B)
Photography: Matjaž Učakar