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The Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (, ; ), also called Saint Elizabeth Cathedral, is a
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
in
Košice Košice is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of approximately 230,000, Košice is the second-largest cit ...
,
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
. It is the largest
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
in Slovakia and one of the easternmost Gothic cathedrals in Europe. According to historical and archaeological sources, the present-day cathedral was built in the place of an earlier church, which was also consecrated to
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...
. It was referred to in documents from 1283 and 1290, in which the
Bishop of Eger The Archdiocese of Eger () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Hungary, its centre is the city of Eger. History * 1000: Established as Diocese of Eger * August 9, 1804: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eger w ...
Andrew II spoke about the jurisdiction of the church.Slovak Republic.org
retrieved 19 June 2013
Historia
, ''Dom Rimkat''; retrieved 19 June 2013.


Description

The Cathedral of St. Elizabeth is the largest church in Slovakia, with a total area of and a capacity of more than 5,000 people. It is the main church in the Archdiocese of Košice, and is one of Europe's easternmost Gothic cathedrals. The church is long and wide; the height of the north tower is . The central nave is long, and the aisles are long. The north side of the cathedral includes a five-sided choir, five
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
s, two towers, and a level
sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...
; the south side has two chapels and an
antechapel The ante-chapel is that portion of a chapel which lies on the western side of the choir screen. In some of the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge the ante-chapel is carried north and south across the west end of the chapel, constituting a western ...
. The cathedral has a unique inside layout, in which the central nave and four aisles are crossed in the middle by one
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
of the same height and width as the central nave, which together create a
Greek cross The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Jesus, Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity. A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a crucifix and the figure is often referred to as the ''corpus'' (La ...
. This large central space rises in the centre of the church, and together with three equal exterior gables with richly decorated portals represent the acme of medieval stonework of art in Central Europe. The complex of the cathedral and adjacent buildings (St Michael Chapel and St Urban Tower) were declared as Cultural Heritage Monuments in 1970.


History


Original church

The oldest Košice church likely originated in the middle of the 11th century, and was consecrated to
Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
. It was built in
Romanesque style Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...
in the same location as the current church. The oldest record of the original church is dated to 1230. When German colonists settled in Košice in the 1240s, and Saint Elizabeth became the patron saint of the town, the church was rededicated to her. In the mid-13th century, the church started to be rebuilt in the
Gothic style Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved from Romanesque ar ...
. The church retained its Romanesque tower, but gained a Gothic
vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosur ...
and a side chapel. The eastward-oriented chapel measured , with a main
aisle An aisle is a linear space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, in buildings such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments, courtrooms, ...
of , giving it a total area of . This parish church burned down around 1380, but it was rebuilt and kept in service until the construction of the current cathedral. Several Romanesque artifacts such as an Iva statuette, a bronze
baptistery In Church architecture, Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek language, Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned ...
, and several gravestones remain to this day.


First construction stage: 1380–1420

The fire which destroyed the original church in 1380 led to the construction of a new cathedral. Wealthy local citizens financed the construction of the cathedral with the support of Emperor
Sigismund of Luxembourg Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elec ...
. The construction of the cathedral was also supported by the
papal curia The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes us ...
. In 1402,
Pope Boniface IX Pope Boniface IX (; ; c. 1350 – 1 October 1404, born Pietro Tomacelli) was head of the Catholic Church from 2 November 1389 to his death, in October 1404. He was the second Roman pope during the Western Schism.Richard P. McBrien, ''Lives of t ...
issued an
indulgence In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission bef ...
bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...
stating that all pilgrims who contributed to Košice's church had their sins forgiven. The exact date of the new church's construction is unknown, but happened between 1380 (after the fire) and 1402, when there was a first written record. The first stage of construction likely lasted until 1420. During this period, the church was built as a five-nave
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
around the original foundation. The south polygonal
chevet In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. In Byzan ...
aisles were built first, followed by the south enclosure wall, the south portal, and the west wall, where the first two levels of both towers were connected. A reference from 1411 indicates that the construction of the cathedral was overseen by a director named Mikuláš and Emperor Sigismund's master builder, Peter from Budin.


Second construction stage: 1420–1440

The use of new construction masonry invented by
Peter Parler Peter Parler (, , ; 1333 – 13 July 1399) was a German-Bohemian architect and sculptor from the Parler family of master builders. Along with his father, Heinrich Parler, he is one of the most prominent and influential craftsmen of the Middle Ag ...
in 1420 brought about a significant change in the architecture of the cathedral. Because of a lack of written reference, the architect during this stage of construction is unknown. The aims of the design were uprightness, light materials, and spaciousness. This resulted in the construction of the three-aisle cathedral, and, in a major change of plan, counter aisles were added to the main nave. This addition was unconventionally situated in the middle of the main nave length, and a unique central hall space was created. The portal decorations of the main nave and side aisles were inspired by Gothic buildings in
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
and
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, and were included in the second construction stage. The influence of Parler's masonry at
Saint Vitus Cathedral The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Saint Vitus, Vitus, Saint Wenceslaus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert of Prague, Adalbert () is a Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Until 1997, the cathedral was ded ...
of Prague became evident in the King's Oratory and its spiral staircase, as well as in a motif of round banisters of the oratory and a stone
gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: * Gallery (surname), a surname Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery ** Online art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ' ...
over the
sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...
. The construction of the cathedral continued with the creation of the north external wall, the polygonal
chevet In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. In Byzan ...
of the north aisle (parallel to the south
apsis An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. The line of apsides (also called apse line, or major axis of the orbit) is the line connecting the two extreme values. Apsides perta ...
), and the eight-sided top levels of Sigismund's Tower. At the end of the second construction stage, the cathedral was ready for vaulting, and it was necessary to pull down the old church. St Michael's church (today called St Michael's Chapel) started construction at the same time as the new cathedral, but was finished in 1400, and so took over the function of a parish church.


Third construction stage: 1440–1462

After the demolition of the old church, the new cathedral was vaulted using a
rib vault A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic a ...
. The particular symmetric shapes of the vault differed from bay to bay, and they were not folded from one bay to the other. The newest part of the construction, the sacristy and chapel, were done during this third stage. Sigimund's tower was finished and a new town emblem, granted by
Ladislaus the Posthumous Ladislaus V, more commonly known as Ladislaus the Posthumous (; ; ; ; 22 February 144023 November 1457), was Duke of Austria and King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Croatia and King of Bohemia, Bohemia. He was the posthumous birth, posthumous son ...
, was sculpted on the fifth floor of tower in 1453. The date "1462" is marked over the entrance, marking the year when work on the tower was completed.


Fourth construction stage: 1462–1490

After finishing Sigimund's tower, attention turned to the construction of the south tower. This tower was named after
Matthias Corvinus Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and ...
, the monarch at the time and significant contributor to the building of tower. Because of the use of new masonry, this tower was built in a more decorated and vertical style than the north tower. During this time, the south shield and portal were completed. Between 1464 and 1490, Master Stephan Lapicidus, also referred to as Master Štefan Staimecz from Košice, was in charge of the construction. Master Štefan built side aisle that were not originally included in the floor plan, a change which was financed by rich city-dwelling families. The Saint Cross Chapel was built by senator August Cromer in 1475, and the Saint Maria chapel was built by Satmary Rod in 1477. By the end of the 15th century, the Saint Joseph Chapel (which no longer exists) was built on the north side of the cathedral. Some inside features from this period are the work of Master Štefan, such as the stone
pastophorium Pastophorion (; ) is one of two chambers within an early Christian and Eastern Christian church building used as sacristies—the diaconicon and the prothesis. Originally, in the Greek Old Testament the term "pastophorion" referred to the treasu ...
and the
relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...
of St. Elizabeth on the sacristy wall. At that time, the church was furnished with Gothic pieces, of which little remains today. The altar of Saint Elisabeth, constructed between 1474 and 1477 by an unknown artist, has been preserved.


Final construction stage: 1491–1508

Following Matthias Corvinus' death in 1490,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
experienced a period of unrest and conflict. Polish–Lithuanian regent
John I Albert John I Albert (; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Roy ...
attacked the city of Košice and fired upon it with cannons. The cathedral was heavily damaged in the attack, and Nikolaus Krumpholz of
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
was charged with its reconstruction, with master builder Vaclav of Prague assisting him. According to documents from the time, the reconstruction took place between 1496 and 1498. The presbytery was completed in 1508; this is considered to be the year when the cathedral's construction was finished. This is documented by a scroll dated from 1508 in the name of master builder Krumpholz, which was found in the presbytery pillar after a major renovation in 1908.


Reformation period

In 1556, a fire burned through much of Košice, damaging the cathedral in the process. The roof and its timbers, along with a large section of the interior, were burnt. Repairs to the cathedral were done by master builder Stanislaus of Kraków, master builders Johann and Gebriel, and stone master Matyas. After the renovations, the cathedral was administered by
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
s, who controlled it until 1604 when they were violently removed by
Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
and members of Eger's chapter house. This incident became one of the main reasons for the anti-
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
revolt of
Stephen Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or Bocskay (, ; 1 January 155729 December 1606) was Prince of Transylvania and Hungary from 1605 to 1606. He was born to a Hungarian nobility, Hungarian noble family. His father's estates were located in the Eastern Hungarian Kin ...
, who gave the cathedral to the
Calvinists Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, ...
. The cathedral was returned to Eger's chapter house in 1671 by order of
Emperor Leopold I Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; ; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia, and List of Bohemian monarchs, Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Rom ...
. General repairs were undertaken, and the chapter house's treasure was placed in the cathedral. During Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk's revolt in 1682, the cathedral was again taken over by Protestants. In 1685, the cathedral was permanently restored to the Catholic community.


Baroque period

In 1706, the cathedral was damaged during an occupation by
Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...
. The west and the south side of the cathedral were the most badly damaged. During the 18th century, several parts of the cathedral were repaired, and further embellishments were added. By the second half of the 18th century, the cathedral had 14 altars, of which only 10 exist today.


Fábry's reconstruction: 1858–1863

After several years of religious wars and neglected maintenance, it became necessary to update the cathedral at the beginning of the 19th century. Following earthquakes in 1834 and 1845, the town was flooded, which damaged several parts of the ground pavement in the cathedral. During the 19th century, there was an initiative for the cathedral to be reconstructed in
neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
style, which was organised by Bishop Ignác Fábry and artist Imre Henszlmann. In 1857, the St. Elizabeth Cathedral Alliance was established and undertook repairs from 1856 to 1863 under the control of the Emperor's Royal Central Commission of Preservation and Repair of Architectural Monuments, with the assistance of Henszlmann. Works were laid out by master builders Károly Gerster and Lajos Frey. Fábry's reconstruction altered several portals' statues, changed clapboards to ceramic roof-tiles, replaced the stock of new window panes, and undertook repairs of the south hall and interior painting. Despite the reconstruction, several structural defects of the cathedral evident at that time were not repaired. Some of the columns were off-center from their central line, and their bases were standing on a colour blade layer which was soaked by ground water. Arch ruptures were covered by mortar or were covered by wood. These incomplete repairs led to more damage as a result of a heavy windstorm in 1875.


Major reconstruction: 1877–1896

In 1872, the Hungarian Temporary Monuments Commission was established, with Imre Henszlmann as the commission secretary. A major reconstruction was undertaken from 1877 to 1896 and was the main priority of the Monuments Commission. It was financed mostly from the state budget of the Hungarian government.
Imre Steindl Imre Ferenc Károly Steindl (29 October 1839 – 31 August 1902) was a Hungarian architect. Steindl (sometimes called in German ''Emerich Steindl'' or ''Emmerich Steindl'') was the designer of the Hungarian Parliament Building, an associate pr ...
, a professor of Medieval Architecture at
Budapest Technical University The Budapest University of Technology and Economics ( or in short ), official abbreviation BME, is a public university, public research university located in Budapest, Hungary. It is the most significant university of technology in the country ...
and a well-known Hungarian neo-Gothic architect, was named as the main architect of the reconstruction works. Steindl determined that, based on ruptures visible in arches, the location of the pillars in the aisles was the primary contributor to the structural damage present in the cathedral. Steindl developed a new structure to address these issues, and the three-aisle cathedral was rebuilt to a five-aisle cathedral via additional arches in the side aisles. Additionally, medieval star arches in the main and side aisles were rebuilt as network ones. An old
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
was removed, and in its place Steindl built expanded replicas with more pillars. Parts of the exterior of the cathedral were also rebuilt, such as an adjustment to the external walls and gavels, and repairs to supporting columns, water-chutes, windows, and portals. The roof of the Matthias Tower was also rebuilt. During this time, the late-Gothic St Joseph's Chapel was completely removed. A neo-Gothic
flèche Flèche or Fleche may refer to: * Flèche (architecture), a type of church spire * Flèche (cycling), a team cycling competition * Flèche (fencing), an aggressive offensive fencing technique * Flèche (fortification), a defensive work *, ships of ...
was also added. Steindl's plan was to rebuild all the neo-Gothic components of the cathedral, but this was denied by the commission who instead requested that old stone constructions be replaced with new ones. Rebuilding the towers in the Gothic style was not realized largely due to a lack of funds, which was also reflected in the use of cheaper construction material. For structural repairs between 1878 and 1882, cheap but low-quality sandstone from the nearby Spiššké Vlachy stone pit was used. This stone quickly degraded and resulted in the removal of
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
s and gargoyles from the outer surface because they endangered pedestrians. In the next phase of reconstruction beginning in 1882, higher quality sandstone from
Banská Bystrica Banská Bystrica (, also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is a city in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Greater Fatra, Veľká Fatra, and t ...
was used. The master builder from 1877 to 1880 was Josepf Weber, followed by Friedrich Wilhelm Fröde from 1880 to 1896. The work was originally supervised by Austrian architect Friedrich von Schmidt, followed by Imre Steindl. In 1885, Steindl was commissioned to work on the
Hungarian Parliament Building The Hungarian Parliament Building ( , ), also known as the Parliament of Budapest after its location, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest. It is situated o ...
and Otto Sztehló took over as the architect for the cathedral. Sztehló used different methods which allowed him to preserve the original Gothic architecture. As a result, Sigismund's Tower, the Matthias Tower (except the roof), the inner side of exterior walls, the medieval portals with reliefs, the stone inventory of interior, and the whole chapel were kept in their original form. In 1896, new neo-Gothic interior furnishings (altars, statues, pictures) were bought and donated to Košice's Cathedral by the Hungarian clergy, the Bishop of Kassa, and Zsigmond Bubics (a wealthy patron). In 1906, a
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
was built under the north side aisle according to the plan of Hungarian architect
Frigyes Schulek Frigyes Schulek (19 November 1841 – 5 September 1919) was a Hungarian architect,
Hungarian Electronic Library, retr ...
. This crypt was prepared to contain the relics of
Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...
and his companions from the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
.


Second major reconstruction: 1978–present

In 1970, the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth was declared a National Cultural Monument. By this time, most of the external architectural features (pinnacles, gargoyles, gadroons) had been either destroyed by rainwater or removed. The stone decoration on the north portal was also heavily weathered. Repairs started in September 1978. At the same time, a large initiative was undertaken to restore and preserve culturally significant monuments in Košice. As part of this, the main street which passed in front of the cathedral was closed to vehicle traffic in 1984, and then to trams in 1986. During the reconstruction, the decision was made to preserve and restore as much of the 19th-century reconstruction as possible. The roof of the main and side aisles was repaired using ceramic-coloured enamel tiles with the original 19th-century pattern. The flèche was reconstructed, and 264 pieces of lead decorations were added. From 1980 to 1992, the most damaged parts of the chapel and sacristy were reconstructed. The work was done by the Polish company Polskie Pracownie Konserwacji Zabytków, from Vratislav. The gadroons, gargoyles, and pinnacles were rebuilt along with the staircase towers. The gargoyles' reconstruction was done according to original medieval patterns. This reconstruction included repairing the interior of the chapel. From 1992 to 1995, the south facade was cleaned and preserved. Sigismund's Tower had its
rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...
copper helmet replaced between 1995 and 1997. Original interior decorations from 1775 were cleaned and restored during this time. In 2008, reconstruction of the Rákóczi crypt was finished, and in 2009, reconstruction of the northernmost portal was finished. Today, renovation work is being done to the exterior of the north facade and interior of the crossed north aisle. The Matthias Tower is currently awaiting repairs also.


Architecture

The main form of the cathedral consists of a central nave with five bays, divided by the cross aisle with one bay. The foundation of the cathedral shows an apparent alternate floor plan with four subordinate spaces, inserted between the arms of main and cross aisle. It is probable that this change occurred during early construction, after the enclosure walls were built and the main outline of space was finished. In the next few years, the design of portals and arches were decided. In the original architecture, the stone sculptures from 1420 to 1440 were enhanced by the construction of three large portals. The north, the south, and west portals in Košice have complex profiles, consisting of dynamic curves, alternating horizontal and vertical cornices, and decorative pinnacles.


Vaulting

As illustrated by Mencl's reconstruction, the conception of the figural vaulting is based on individual parts of the split
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...
s' curves and inter vaultings. The difficult play of these shapes is inspired by the sun rising, with its spikes out of the splitting columns. The middle of each sun motif has an individual pattern. From its diagonal vectors, it creates cross, rhombus, and trapezoid shapes. In the subordinate spaces—which are adjacent to the arms of the main Greek cross formed by the main aisle and the side aisle—at connecting walls and the east side, the sun scheme is lost in a tangle of cranked rib networks. In the late 1400s, Master Štefan built a
sacrarium A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Lutherans and Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscin ...
over the anteroom at the south wall and was adding adoration to the chapel of St Cross to its east side and chapel of Mettercia to the west side. Near the chapel of St Joseph on the north side, the ribs converge but do not reach the
capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...
of the lisena (e.g.
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
). The vaulting of the chapels is based on an irregular star
net vault A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic a ...
.


Windows

Master Ján of Prešov demolished old walls and suggested an atrial type of window, which can be seen mostly at the triple aisle. From an artistic point of view, he used the reflective efficiency of the smooth walls and large windows to whiten the interior.


Window heraldry

The stained-glass windows between the main altar and the west gate are decorated with heraldries of Košice, Abov's chair, and Hunyady chair. The windows also contain the heraldry of the countries ruled by 15th-century
King Matthias Corvinus Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and ...
:
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
, The Big Bulgaria,
Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
,
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
,
Slavonia Slavonia (; ) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria County, Istria, one of the four Regions of Croatia, historical regions of Croatia. Located in the Pannonian Plain and taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with f ...
,
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
,
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
,
Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...
, and
Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...
.


Interior


Altars


The Main Altar of Saint Elizabeth

This
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
was built between 1474 and 1477 and is ranked among the most remarkable pieces of
medieval art The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, with over 1000 years of art in Europe, and at certain periods in Western Asia and Northern Africa. It includes major art movements and periods, national and regional ar ...
in Slovakia. It consists of two pairs of decorated wings, each containing six Gothic paintings, with a heavily decorated centerpiece. As a whole, it is a set of 48 paintings in three themed cycles – Elizabethan, the Passion, and the Advent. This style of altar is unique across Europe.


Altar of the Visitation

The winged altar was crafted to the order of a rich merchant of Košice named Michal Gunthert in 1516. The guiding motif of the altar, located in the arche, is a sculpture of the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. On both sides, the altar has a pair of movable wings. When opened, they represent scenes of the Angelical salutation, the Nativity, the
Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings or Visitation of the Wise Men is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having fo ...
, and the
flight into Egypt The flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13–Matthew 2:23, 23) and in New Testament apocrypha. Soon after the Biblical Magi, visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Saint Joseph, Joseph in a dream telling ...
. When closed, they depict the sacred personages of Saint Catherine,
Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
,
Saint Barbara Saint Barbara (; ; ; ), known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an Early Christianity, early Christian Greek saint and martyr. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the origin ...
, and
Saint John the Apostle John the Apostle (; ; ), also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he ...
. The
predella In art a predella (plural predelle) is the lowest part of an altarpiece, sometimes forming a platform or step, and the painting or sculpture along it, at the bottom of an altarpiece, sometimes with a single much larger main scene above, but oft ...
is painted with votives of '' vir dolōrum'',
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
,
Saint John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on h ...
,
Saint Michael the Archangel Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
, and
Saint Margaret the Virgin Margaret, known as Margaret of Antioch in the West, and as Saint Marina the Great Martyr () in the East, is celebrated as a saint on 20 July in Western Christianity, on 30th of July (Julian calendar) by the Eastern Orthodox Church, and on Epip ...
. The latter were patrons of the Gunthert family. Like the main altar of Saint Elizabeth, the upper part of this
altarpiece An altarpiece is a painting or sculpture, including relief, of religious subject matter made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, ...
is late Gothic and decorated with the three groups of sculptures: the legend of three marriages of Saint Anne, statues of the Apostles, and a statue of Mary on the top.


Altar of Anthony of Padua

This altarpiece is composed of the two late-Gothic altarpieces from the first half of the 16th century, which were saved after a great fire of the city of Košice in 1556. The paintings on its wings are the oldest dated of all altarpiece paintings in the cathedral. They depict 16 saints on both sides. In 1860, the altar image of Anthony of Padua, painted by Ferenc Klimkovics, was placed in the original arch.


Altar of Mettercia

This neo-Gothic altarpiece dates from the end of the 19th century. It was manufactured by order of Bishop Zsigmond Bubics to house the newly found late-Gothic painting of Mettercia, a rare painting of Tyrolean origin from 1516 that depicts
Saint Anne According to apocrypha, as well as Christianity, Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Joachim and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the Bible's Gosp ...
and the ancestry of Isaiah. The painting was made for a commission from the family of pharmacist Bartolomej Czottman. Both he and his wife are depicted with their coats of arms, among which the coat of arms of Košice is placed in accordance with the latest grant of arms. A mortar, as a symbol of pharmacists, is featured beyond the municipal coat of arms.


Altar of Saint Anne

One of the series of neo-Gothic altarpieces from 1896 bought for the cathedral on the occasion of the millennial celebration of the Hungarians' arrival to the homeland, as well as of the termination of restoration works. The altarpiece was a gift from incumbent Bishop Zsigmond Bubics.


Altar of Wise Men

Bought in Paris, it was a gift from Bishop Zsigmond Bubics in 1896.


Altar of Saint Joseph

A gift from Konstantin Schuster, the
bishop of Vác A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
, in 1896. It was crafted of pieces bought in
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by Lajos Lantay, a sculptor from Pöstyén.


Altar of Saint Stephen

A gift from František Pogač, the canon of Košice, in 1896. Crafted by Ferdinand Stufflesser, the Tyrolean carver.


Altar of the Three Martyrs of Košice

The Three Martyrs of Košice were
beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...
in 1905.
Lajos Tihanyi Lajos Tihanyi (29 October 1885 – 11 June 1938) was a Hungarian painter and lithographer who achieved international renown working outside his country, primarily in Paris, France. After emigrating in 1919, he never returned to Hungary, even on a ...
crafted the altarpiece dedicated to them in 1923 in
Banská Bystrica Banská Bystrica (, also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is a city in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Greater Fatra, Veľká Fatra, and t ...
. Their remains are stored in the
predella In art a predella (plural predelle) is the lowest part of an altarpiece, sometimes forming a platform or step, and the painting or sculpture along it, at the bottom of an altarpiece, sometimes with a single much larger main scene above, but oft ...
.


Altar of the Holy Cross

The newest altarpiece in the cathedral, crafted in Košice in 1931 by Vojtech Buchner in commemoration of the victims of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Two iron panels feature the names of all the people who contributed to the altarpiece's construction.


Altars no longer installed


Altar of the Last Supper

A
triptych A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
altarpiece from the last third of the 15th century. It is segmented in the deposit of the
East Slovak Museum The East Slovak Museum () in Košice, Slovakia, is one of the oldest Slovak museums, founded in 1872. It is located in the Old Town borough of Košice, at ''Námestie maratóncov'' (Marathon Runners' Square). The museum was founded on 25 June 1876 ...
.


Altar of John the Baptist

A neo-Gothic altarpiece crafted for a rare oil
tempera Tempera (), also known as egg tempera, is a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder medium, usually glutinous material such as egg yolk. ''Tempera'' also refers to the paintings done in ...
painted panel from 1516. It was in the cathedral until 1944. After reconstruction work from 1965 to 1970, the panel was obtained by the
East Slovak Museum The East Slovak Museum () in Košice, Slovakia, is one of the oldest Slovak museums, founded in 1872. It is located in the Old Town borough of Košice, at ''Námestie maratóncov'' (Marathon Runners' Square). The museum was founded on 25 June 1876 ...
. One side of the panel depicts the scene of the Baptism of Christ in Jordan, and the other depicts the torture of
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
. They are of high quality with a notable influence of the Dutch and Flemish Renaissance.


Altar of the Death of Mary

An original Gothic altarpiece which was uninstalled in 1943. Only the
predella In art a predella (plural predelle) is the lowest part of an altarpiece, sometimes forming a platform or step, and the painting or sculpture along it, at the bottom of an altarpiece, sometimes with a single much larger main scene above, but oft ...
was preserved, which is lost in the archival store of the cathedral.


Bronze baptistery

The
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
-Gothic
baptistery In Church architecture, Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek language, Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned ...
from the 14th century is the oldest monument preserved in the cathedral. It comes from the old church of Saint Elizabeth, the ancestor of today's cathedral. The leg of the baptistery is decorated with triangles, and the
chalice A chalice (from Latin 'cup', taken from the Ancient Greek () 'cup') is a drinking cup raised on a stem with a foot or base. Although it is a technical archaeological term, in modern parlance the word is now used almost exclusively for the ...
is ornamented with zoomorphic reliefs of lions,
gryphons The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk o ...
, and eagles. The upper brim is lined with an illegible Latin inscription. The lid dates back to 1914.


Wall frescoes

In 1892, during the large-scale reconstruction works, a number of original Gothic
frescoes Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
were discovered hidden under a layer of plaster since the period of
Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
. Three of them are in the south apse: ''The Savior on the Day of Judgement'' in an
aureola An aureola or aureole (diminutive of Latin ''aurea'', "golden") is the radiance of luminous cloud which, in paintings of sacred personages, surrounds the whole figure. In Romance languages, the noun Aureola is usually more related to the d ...
(sitting Christ holding a sword, Mary and Saint Peter below him), ''Twelve Apostles'', and ''The Resurrection of Christ'' (with his right hand holding a battalion and blessing with his left hand). In the northern side apse, next to the entrance of the sacristy, is another set of genuine Gothic frescoes, including ''The'' ''Descent from the Cross'', dating back to the 16th century and conceived as a winged wall altarpiece. In addition, the paintings on the right side are ''The Flagellation'' and ''The Coronation with Crown of Thorns'', and on the left side are ''Christ Nailed at the Cross'' and ''Christ before Pilate''.


Calvary

The sculpture of
Calvary Calvary ( or ) or Golgotha () was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, Jesus was crucified. Since at least the early medieval period, it has been a destination for pilgrimage. ...
dating back to 1420 is one of the oldest articles of the Saint Elizabeth Cathedral's inventory. Its components are a 4.34-metre-tall cross with a 3.12-metre-tall nailed Christ in the centre, a 2.73-metre-tall statue of
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
on the right side, and 2.5-metre-tall statue of
John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...
on the left. The group of statues was originally installed in a
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
of the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
until 1936, when it was reinstalled in the Royal Oratory. This monumental artpiece of carved wood is notable for its deep theatricality of emotional expression.


Four wooden Gothic polychromed sculptures

These four wood carvings were crafted around 1470; authorship is attributed to Jan Weysz, a woodcarver from
Prešov Prešov () is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is the seat of administrative Prešov Region () and Šariš. With a population of approximately 85,000 for the city, and in total more than 100,000 with the urban area, it is the second-largest city i ...
. The sculptures are 108–112 cm tall and share the period style of the Main Altarpiece of Saint Elizabeth. Their current installation—in the
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
's pillars of the western portal—is secondary. Originally, they probably formed a component of an unpreserved upper part of St. Elizabeth's altarpiece. The sculptures represent
Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...
, his son
Saint Emeric of Hungary Emeric (), also ''Emericus,'' ''Emerick, Emery or Emory.'' Venerated as Saint Emeric (c. 1007 – 2 September 1031), was the son of King Stephen I of Hungary and Giselle of Bavaria. Life Family Emeric is believed to have been the second so ...
,
Saint Ladislaus Ladislaus I (, , , ; 1040 – 29 July 1095), also known as Saint Ladislas, was King of Hungary from 1077 and King of Croatia from 1091. He was the second son of King Béla I of Hungary and Richeza (or Adelaide) of Poland. After Béla's death ...
, and
Stanislaus of Szczepanów Stanislaus of Szczepanów (; 26 July 1030 – 11 April 1079) was a Polish Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Kraków and was martyred by the Polish King Bolesław II the Bold. He is the patron saint of Poland. Stanislaus is vener ...
.


Mater Dolorosa on column

A 112-cm-tall polychromed wood carving from the period of 1500. It is installed on a late Gothic twisted column. Above the statue, a Gothic ciborium was inserted into the southern side wall. The expressiveness and the pleating of the gown attest to the high level of late Gothic wood-carving in Košice.


Lantern of Matthias Corvinus

This
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
with a
niche Niche may refer to: Science *Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development and growth *Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species *Niche differentiation, in ec ...
for a lantern is built on a twisted stone column and dates back to the end of the 15th century. The pinnacles' tympanums are ornamented with the coat of arms of
Košice Košice is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of approximately 230,000, Košice is the second-largest cit ...
, the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
,
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
, and
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
. Two coats of arms are present: one of the Hunyadi family, and one unidentified. Originally, the lamp illuminated the area in front of the southern portal towards the neighbouring cemetery. It served its purpose until the early 20th century, when it was adapted for gas lighting. It was installed in its current place on the wall of Matthias Tower in 1940.


Choir

The
pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurised air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a Musical keyboard, keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single tone and pitch, the pipes are provide ...
choir was completely replaced during the period of large-scale reconstruction works at the end of the 19th century. The current replica is a bit longer and has more pillars than the original one. The four polychromed sculptures by Jan Weysz (described above) are installed on the pillars and complemented with another four neo-Gothic sculptures of kings of Hungary:
Charles I of Hungary Charles I, also known as Charles Robert (; ; ; 128816 July 1342), was King of Hungary and Croatia in the union with Hungary, Croatia from 1308 to his death. He was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou and the only son of Charles Martel of A ...
,
Louis I of Hungary Louis I, also Louis the Great (; ; ) or Louis the Hungarian (; 5 March 132610 September 1382), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370. He was the first child of Charles I of Hungary and his wife, Elizabeth of ...
,
Sigismund of Luxemburg Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elect ...
, and
Matthias Corvinus Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and ...
. A new pipe organ was crafted by Angster from Patkostolie. It is accessed through a stairway in the southern tower. The original one was discovered in Košice by a collector, Austrian Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek, who bought it and had it transported to his castle Burg Kreuzenstein near Vienna.


Pastophorium

A ston
pastophorium
for storing the eucharist, located in the northern pillar of the triumphal arch, is the most accurate stone masonry work in the cathedral. It was crafted by Master Štefan around 1477. The pastophorium has a hexagonal plan and is ornated with complex composition of pillars moldings,
friezes In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neithe ...
,
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...
s, and
arch An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
es. The twisted niche for storing the eucharist is located on the first floor pastophorium. The metal-tipped door, decorated with thumbnails of coat of arms, dates back to the 15th century. A tiny plaster sculptures of prophets and kneeling angels replaced former missing parts at the end of the 19th century. After the
Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...
, the pastophorium became redundant, and thus the staircase leading to the pastophorium lost its purpose and was removed in 1860.


Relief of Saint Elizabeth

This
relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...
originated in the same period as the stone pastophorium and the authorship is also attributed to Master Štefan. It is made of three parts that do not fit together because of their compositions. The relief by itself is decorated in an abrupt manner in contrast with the hexagonal ciborium containing
filigree Filigree (also less commonly spelled ''filagree'', and formerly written ''filigrann'' or ''filigrene'') is a form of intricate metalwork used in jewellery and other small forms of metalwork. In jewellery, it is usually of gold and silver, m ...
scenes from the Old Testament. The ciborium (in the shape of the pinnacle) is tipped with a sculpture of a nestled
pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...
, which is the symbol of Christ's blood. In the 19th century, the relief was complemented with the Latin inscription "''S.Elisabeth ora pro nobis''" positioned above the
console Console may refer to: Computing and video games * System console, a physical device to operate a computer ** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device ** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
.


Rainer Melichar epitaph

The
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...
of the family of Rainer Melichar—the municipal reeve (mayor)—is one of the few neo-Gothic relics preserved in the cathedral and dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. Between the two family coats of arms lies an image of Flagellation; above, there is a sculpture of Christ crucified. Above the tympanum there is a group of Baroque sculptures: two angels on the sides and Christ holding the Earth in the middle.


Aureole of Madonna

Another Baroque
relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...
in the cathedral which appropriately amplifies the aesthetic interior décor is a hanging
aureole An aureola or aureole (diminutive of Latin ''aurea'', "golden") is the radiance of luminous cloud which, in paintings of sacred personages, surrounds the whole figure. In Romance languages, the noun Aureola is usually more related to the d ...
from the first half of the 18th century, installed under the
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
. A double-sided sculpture of Madonna with Child is in the middle of the aureole.


Pews

Some of the cathedral
pews A pew () is a long bench seat or enclosed box, used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a synagogue, church, funeral home or sometimes a courtroom. Occasionally, they are also found in live performance venues (such as the Ryman A ...
are from the 18th century and crafted in Baroque style; others are from the end of the 19th century. The oppositely positioned canonical pews in the presbytery were crafted during the period of large-scale reconstruction works of the cathedral (mid-1800s) in accordance with the design of the main architect, Imre Steindl. He designed the patronal pew of commons with an engraved painted coat of arms of Košice.


Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Chapel of Mettercia)

One of the two chapels in the cathedral is the Chapel of Annunciation to the blessed Virgin Mary, located in the area between the Matthias Tower and the vestibule of the southern portal. It was built in 1477 by Štefan, and allegedly his portrait is on the console of cross-ribbed vaults. The builder holds a paper strip in his hands. The altarpiece of Mettercia is installed in the chapel, hence its alternate name. The parents of the Hungarian
primate Primates is an order (biology), order of mammals, which is further divided into the Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, which include lemurs, galagos, and Lorisidae, lorisids; and the Haplorhini, haplorhines, which include Tarsiiformes, tarsiers a ...
Juraj Szatmary had it built, hence the chapel is also called the Chapel of Szatmary. In the beginning of the 19th century, a
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
of bishops of Košice was established under its floor. Their gravestones are embedded into the enclosure walls. Ignac Fabry, Zsigmond Bubics, Augustin Fischer-Colbrie, and Jozef Čársky are buried there.


Chapel of Saint Cross

The second chapel of the dome is the Chapel of Saint Cross, also built in the year 1475. Its donor was the city consul and reeve Augustín Cromer, thus it is also called Cromer's Chapel. Nowadays, it is used as the sacristy.


King's Oratory (empora)

The King's Oratory was built roughly alongside the old cathedral. It was created on the first floor of the polygonal arch of the south annex of the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
aisle. On the wall under the oratory is a significant
epigraphic Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
monument dating from 1441, when
John Jiskra of Brandýs John Jiskra of Brandýs (in English sometimes referred as John Giskra; , , ; – ), was a Czech strategist and mercenary soldier. John Jiskra came from the Moravian branch of the noble family Lords of Brandýs, he was possibly a son of Alšík ...
was the captain of Košice. The epigraph declares the loyalty of the people of Košice to King Ladislav Pohrobek.


Twisted staircase

The twisted staircase is from the 15th century and leads to the king's (balcony). The staircase divides into two arms; the west arm heads to the attic of cathedral. It is constrained and therefore it is assumed to have had a mainly decorative function. This twisted staircase is the oldest existing one in Europe. In 1499–1500, a similar staircase () was built in the imperial residence in
Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...
, Austria, modeled after this Košice staircase.


Singer stage

The stone
gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: * Gallery (surname), a surname Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery ** Online art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ' ...
located on the north wall of the main aisle (in place of a presbytery) belongs to the original accommodation of the cathedral. Its purpose was likely for actors and singers to present medieval allegories and mysteries during the worship ceremony.


Statue of Saint Florian

Saint Florian Florian (; AD 250 – 304) was a Christian holy man and the patron saint of chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighters. His feast day is 4 May. Florian is also the patron saint of Poland, the city of Linz, Austria, and Upper Austria, jointl ...
was the patron of firemen and granted protection from fire. The town built his statue in 1748, which first stood near St Michael's Church (later Chapel), and later, near the south wall of St Urban Tower. In 1940, it was moved to where it now stands at the entrance hall of the cathedral's south portal.


Adyton

Construction of the ''
adyton In Classical architecture, the ''adyton'' ( , 'innermost sanctuary, shrine', ) or (Latin) was a restricted area within the ''cella'' of a Greek temple, Greek or Roman temple. The ''adyton'' was frequently a small area at the farthest end of ...
'' occurred during the third part of construction of the dome, in 1440–1462. In addition, the consoles have neo-Gothic statues representing saints by Jana Marschalek from the end of 19th century. The windowpanes were created by Karl Geyling in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
in 1860. On the panes are illustrated coats of arms of minor canons.


Sacrificial altar

The newest element of the cathedral's inventory is the sacrificial altar of the celebrating priest. It is located in front of the main altar, and is carved from a single piece of sandstone in the shape of two arms creating an ellipse. The sacrificial altar stands on the
tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle (), also known as the Tent of the Congregation (, also Tent of Meeting), was the portable earthly dwelling of God used by the Israelites from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. Moses was instru ...
in the shape of a heart. Near the altar is a new ambon (place for preaching) and the sedeses (chairs). All three objects were created by Michael and Thomas Baník in 1994.


Pulpit

The stone pulpit with wooden shelter is the masterpiece of sculptors W. Aubram and R. Argenti. On the twisted staircase leading to it are placed statues of the argurs and the church fathers.


Crypt of Rákóczi

Beside the north wall of the dome, a
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
was built in 1906 for the remains of Francis II Rákoczi—Hungarian nobleman and Prince of
Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
—and his family and favored friends. The crypt and the four stone
sarcophagi A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek σάρξ ' meaning "flesh", and φ� ...
were designed by professor Frigyes Schulek from
Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
. In one sarcophagus are buried together the prince, his mother (Ilona Zrínyi), and his older son Joseph. The southern sarcophagus is of General Count Antal Esterházy, while the northern one is where Miklós Sibrik is interred. The fourth sarcophagus, on the other side of crypt, contains the remains of Count
Miklós Bercsényi Count Miklós Bercsényi () ( Hrádok, Kingdom of Hungary, September 1665 – Tekirdağ, 6 November 1725) was a Hungarian military officer and chief general during Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703–1711). Biography He was the son of General ...
and his second wife,
Krisztina Csáky Krisztina Csáky (1654–1723) was a Hungarian countess. She participated in Rákóczi's War of Independence in 1703–1711. Life Born in Szepes as the eldest daughter of Istvan Csáky and Margit Lonay. Her father was Lord Chief Justice and C ...
.


Apotheosis of life Ferenc II Rákóczi

This monumental mural painting above the north portal of the cathedral is from years 1914–16 and its author is Andor Dudics (or Dudits). It is a
triptych A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
.


Exterior


North portal

The design of the north portal is rare within medieval tradition, in which the north sides of churches did not have
portal Portal may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), a series of video games developed by Valve ** ''Portal'' (video game), a 2007 video game, the first in the series ** '' Portal 2'', the 2011 sequel ** '' Portal Stori ...
s. Its statues are the most decorative out of the three portals of the cathedral, probably because it faced the busiest part of medieval Košice – to the city market and the city hall. The portal is known as the Golden Gate, because it was gilded in the Middle Ages. The north portal has two entrance doors. Above those is an arch with a relief of the
Last Judgement The Last Judgment is a concept found across the Abrahamic religions and the '' Frashokereti'' of Zoroastrianism. Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God of all people who have ever lived, res ...
. The relief is divided into two parts. In the lower one, a crowd of people is seen heading to the gates of heaven, where they are welcomed by an angel, while those going to hell are enchained and heading to Leviathan's jaws with devils. The upper part shows the Last Judgement, with two angels with horns announcing the end of the world. The other figures represent the
Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
. Above the relief are placed five frame reliefs decorated by
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
s and profiled and traceried motives. Two lower framed reliefs refer to the life of St Elizabeth. The other three recreate the scene from Calvary. At the top is Christ crucified on the cross in the shape of a tree of life. The other two crucified on
Golgotha Calvary ( or ) or Golgotha () was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, Jesus was crucified. Since at least the early medieval period, it has been a destination for pilgrimage. ...
are shown: on the left side, the saved soul is carried to heaven by an angel, while on the right side, the soul is carried to hell by a devil. Under the scene of the Crucifixion are crying women around Virgin Mary under the cross (left side) and
John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...
surrounded by Roman soldiers (right side). During the great reconstruction of the dome, niches were added along both gates of north portal to house neo-Gothic statues of the saints. The niches are original, and it is not known what statues stood in them during previous centuries. Other neo-Gothic statues decorate the portal of the east gavel. The statues are of Hungarian kings, including
Charles I of Hungary Charles I, also known as Charles Robert (; ; ; 128816 July 1342), was King of Hungary and Croatia in the union with Hungary, Croatia from 1308 to his death. He was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou and the only son of Charles Martel of A ...
, his wife
Elizabeth of Poland Elizabeth of Poland (, ; 1305 – 29 December 1380) was Queen of Hungary by marriage to Charles I of Hungary, and regent of Poland from 1370 to 1376 during the reign of her son Louis I. Life Early life Elizabeth was a member of the Polish royal ...
, and Louis of Hungary. They are masterpieces of the Budapest sculptor Lajos Lantay.


West portal

According to liturgical custom, the main entrance to the church is the west portal. Although it has three gates, this entrance has the simplest stone decoration. Two sides are without figure decoration. Above the main gate are two reliefs—one of them directly over the gate shows Christ in Getsemane garden piteously praying to His Father. To the left of Christ are the apostles Peter,
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
, and
Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...
, while from the right come soldiers led by
Judas Judas Iscariot (; ; died AD) was, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in exchange for thirty pieces of ...
. In the seddle finish of the portal is the scene of Pieta,
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
holding Christ body, surrounded by Maria Magdalene and Mary Joseph. The uppermost relief shows angels holding Veronica's towel with Christ's face print. The whole symbology of portals relates with local tradition of The Holy Blood. At the end of 19th century, two neo-Gothic statues were placed to the main gate, of which only one—the statue of
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
—has been preserved.


South portal

The south portal differs from the previous two portals by the fact that it is placed to the anteroom under the king's empora. It has two gates, the same as the north portal, but without the figures in relief. Instead, they are finished by saddles with triangle circling pikes above which is another row of saddles. The portal gives the impression of a triple level entrance to the cathedral. An interesting component of the portal is aerial bolt of gothic arch of an anteroom with leaf ornaments. The
baldachin A baldachin, or baldaquin (from ), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent Architecture, architectural feature, particularly over Alta ...
of the statue in the middle of the portal is formed by flying rooks; another rook and a beast hold devices of the torment. Based on this it, is supposed that under the baldachin was previously a statue of Christ. Today, there is statue of Imaculata from the end of the 19th century made by statue maker János Marschalkó. The other statues at the portal are saints, emperor
Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
,
Elizabeth of Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...
,
Adalbert of Prague Adalbert of Prague (, , , , ; 95623 April 997), known in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia by his birth name Vojtěch (), was a Czech missionary and Christian saint. He was the Bishop of Prague and a missionary to the Hungarians, Poles, ...
,
Andrew the Apostle Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Chu ...
(patron of Košice archdiocese),
Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, Jesuits, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; ; ; ; ; ; 7 April 15063 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Kingdom of Navarre, Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus ...
, and Bishop Teodor. These statues have nothing to do with the symbolism of the portal; they represent patrons and those who financed the major reconstruction of the cathedral at the end of the 19th century. The middle portrait belongs to architect Imre Steindl. The others included Fridrich Wilhelm Fröde and Otto Sztehló.


Sigismund's Tower

The north tower, which was built in the second period of church construction in 1420–40, was finished in the third period of construction in 1462. This is proved by the Košice coat of arms sculpted with the year "1462" over the portal of the west façade, which is also the entrance to the tower. The tower has a square floor plan for three levels; from the fourth level, it narrows to an octagonal floor plan. A simply decorated tower, it has between-floor cordons decorated by cresting with a geometric motif. Between the fourth and fifth floors is a
frieze In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...
of rosettes, each with a different design. Sigimund's Tower was heavily damaged between 1490 and 1491 when Košice was besieged by
John I Albert John I Albert (; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Roy ...
's army. It was reconstructed by Nicolaus Crompholz from
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, under the guidance of Vaclav from Prague in 1494–97. After the fire in 1775, the tower was built up a little bit and on the top of it a
Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...
monkshood ''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefl ...
was mounted, which created the sixth floor of the tower. The monkshood is covered by a copper sheet with gold-coated plumber components. It is topped by a copper cross 3 meters tall. The tower has 160 steps and is tall. On the first floor there is a large clock mechanism, and on the second floor there is construction for the bells. On the third floor are two bells from 1926. Alexander Buchner had new bells cast – one of which weighs 530 kg and holds names of those killed during World War I. There is also a fire brigade room, which was used until the 1970s.


Matthias Tower

The south tower was built in the second period of cathedral construction from 1420 to 1440. After a construction break, construction of the tower followed in 1462, when the north tower was finished. The works were managed by Master Štefan until 1477. The tower had a square floor plan. It is constructed in a more decorated and massive way in comparison with the north tower, although it was not built up to its planned height. It is finished to the level of the crown cordon of the main aisle with decorative wreathes, which contain heraldries of countries belonging to
King Matthias Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and adopted the titl ...
and heraldry of Košice. The tower is now covered by an octagon metal-sheet roof. A curiosity of the tower is its labyrinth of interlinked circular staircases, the significance of which is not understood. The entrance is from the west choir of the cathedral and its staircase also allows access to the pipe organ. The rich decoration of the exterior is complemented by the statues of
Matthias Corvinus Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and ...
's supporters; these statues are by Budapest sculptor František Mikula and date from the 20th century.


Sun dial

On the exterior wall of the south façade, above the biggest window of the Mettercie Chapel, is situated the
horologe An hourglass (or sandglass, sand timer, or sand clock) is a device used to measure the passage of time. It comprises two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows a regulated flow of a substance (historically sand) from the ...
-type
sun dial A sundial is a horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat p ...
, dating from the year 1477.


Flèche

The neo-Gothic tower at the crosspoint of the main and
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
aisles was created during the great reconstruction of the dome at the end of the 19th century. It has a wooden skeleton which is covered in copper.


Francis II Rakóczi memorial

In 1906, the remains of
Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...
and his group were carried from Turkey to Košice and entombed in the cathedral crypt. On 24 July 1938, the memorial of the
Kuruc Kuruc (, plural ''kurucok''), also spelled kurutz, refers to a group of armed anti- Habsburg insurgents in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1671 and 1711. Over time, the term kuruc has come to designate Hungarians who advocate strict national inde ...
Revolt was unveiled. The memorial was designed by Sipos and Vojtech Loffler. Vojtech Buchner moulded it with bronze.


Monarch donations

In the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
and during modern times, Saint Elizabeth Cathedral was the largest church in the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
. Its construction was a very prestigious issue for the bourgeois, wealthy merchants, and craftsmen of Košice.


Legends of the cathedral

Over the years, legends of the cathedral have emerged. Most of them have their roots in the Middle Ages during construction of the dome. Construction continuing over the centuries gave birth to the legend of the “hollow stone”, which the builders put in an unknown place in the cathedral. Were the stone to be lost, the whole cathedral would fall. The
gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed Grotesque (architecture), grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from ...
of the drunk woman is said in folklore to have been the master builder's alcoholic wife. Legend says that because she was tarnishing his reputation by her appearance in the town, he immortalised her as a gargoyle. A legend about the lantern of
King Matthias Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and adopted the titl ...
states that it has the power to remove the guilt of any criminal who stands under it. The last legend is about Christ’s Blood. During an ordinary Sunday
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
, the priest spilt the
chalice A chalice (from Latin 'cup', taken from the Ancient Greek () 'cup') is a drinking cup raised on a stem with a foot or base. Although it is a technical archaeological term, in modern parlance the word is now used almost exclusively for the ...
of
consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
on the floor. The liquid formed an image of the suffering Christ, whom some believers claimed to have heard moan.


Modern cultural usage

In October 2015, Hungarian rock band
Omega Omega (, ; uppercase Ω, lowercase ω; Ancient Greek ὦ, later ὦ μέγα, Modern Greek ωμέγα) is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numerals, Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value ...
, whose members declare
Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, performed their Biblically themed performance ''Oratórium'' ("''Oratory''") inside the cathedral. Since 2013, the show was exhibited in Hungary, Romania, and Germany, mostly in
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
Reformed churches, as well as Moscow's
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (, ) is a Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few hundred metres southwest of the Kremlin. With an overall height of , it is the ...
. The concert was sold-out and attended by 1,200 spectators, less than the potential capacity of 2,000. Following the concert and laypeople's criticisms of sacrilege, Archbishop Bober banned future rock concerts in the cathedral, allowing only
religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
, or classical music.


Gallery

File:Kosice - St. Elisabeth Cathedral 1.JPG, Cathedral viewed from the south File:Szent Erzsébet-dóm.jpg, Cathedral choir File:St Elisabeth's Cathedral Košice.jpg, Cathedral of St. Elizabeth Košice (right) and St Urban Tower (left) File:Predna strana.JPG, West portal File:Nočny pohlad2.JPG, Night view from Mlynská Street File:Nočny pohlad vzdial.JPG, Night view from Vrátna Street File:Nočny pohlad1.JPG, Night view from Mlynská Street File:Exterier pohl 9.JPG, Exterior of the cathedral File:Exterier pohl 5.JPG, Details of facade File:Exterier pohl 2.JPG, Matthias Tower File:Interier pohl 2.JPG, High choir File:Int pohl 3.JPG, Interior view from the main altar File:Detail int 5.JPG, Wall painting File:Detail int 4.JPG, Pastophoria File:Detail int 1.JPG, Ornamental detail File:Rákocyihokrypta1.JPG, Entrance to the crypt of Rákocsi File:Nábytok2.JPG, Pews File:Detail int 7.JPG, Calvary on the king's empora File:Detail int 3.JPG, Neo-Gothic pulpit


See also

*
List of cathedrals in Slovakia This is the list of cathedrals and co-cathedrals in Slovakia sorted by Christian denomination, denomination. Catholic Latin Rite The following are Latin Church, Latin Rite cathedrals and co-cathedrals of the Catholic Church in Slovakia: Easte ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * *


External links

*http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta (in Slovak) *http://www.visitkosice.eu/en/monuments/st-elizabeth-cathedral (in English) *http://www.slovakia.com/sightseeings/st-elisabeth-cathedral/ (in English) {{Authority control Churches in Košice Roman Catholic cathedrals in Slovakia Gothic architecture in Slovakia 14th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Slovakia 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Slovakia