Review article
https://doi.org/10.17018/portal.2014.4
Reconstruction of the Templar Phase of the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gora
Drago Miletić
Marija Valjato Fabris
Abstract
According to a 1209 document by King Andrew II, as early as the 12th century there existed in the Templar court (commandery) in Gora a Romanesque church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, at the site of an existing early-Gothic church, which was renovated in the Baroque period. During the Ottoman conquest, the church suffered severe damage, but was thoroughly renovated after the Banovina region was re-conquered. In the 19th century, the church was greatly extended, only to be burnt down and later mined in the Croatian War of Independence. After the war was over, the ruins were cleared and the remaining walls were investigated. Some thus far unknown features of the earlier, Romanesque church were revealed, as well as the entire layout of the later-date, early-Gothic church, erected in the first quarter of the 13th century. After removing the portions of construction from the Baroque period, the original supports of the early-Gothic vault came into view, as well as lower parts of the original bell cote, parts of the original windows and southern doors. Also, the demolition uncovered the remaining sections of the vaulting system and other architectural details of the later-date Templar church. Particularly significant were the finds of architectural decorations from the Romanesque church, which were embedded into the early-Gothic Templar church, revealing an exquisite level or artistry on the part of its masons.
The surviving walls from the Baroque phase of the Church of the Assumption of the B. V. Mary were degraded by the explosion to such an extent that their remaining portions needed to be deconstructed. The research revealed the features of the Templar church – its unified rectangular layout with no spatial emphasis on the sanctuary. The church interior thus recalled a knights’ hall rather than a church proper, the façade masonry was made up of regularly-shaped slabs and there existed a series of bases and as many as 22 capitals. Along with other fine details of the Templar phase, the church in Gora was revealed to be the best-preserved Templar church not only in Croatia but within the wider region.
All phases of the church were valorized. The walls have been preserved to a high degree, along with sections of the vaulting system and other details retrieved from the demolition, including all the necessary information on the geometry of the church. This ultimately directed the conservation efforts towards reconstructing the Templar phase.
The reconstruction of the church required some compromise. Due to functional necessities, the modest Baroque sacristy was reconstructed, while in the west front that was brought down during the 1863 extension of the church, the stone frame of the Baroque doorway was
re-embedded.
Keywords
Gora; Templars; Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; reconstruction
Hrčak ID:
133008
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2014.
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