Lost mediaeval churches of Toruń
Journal Title: Archaeologia Historica Polona - Year 2011, Vol 19, Issue 0
Abstract
Mediaeval Toruń churches – St. Johns, Holy Virgin Mary and St. Jackob – due to their high artistic values were enrolled in 1998 into UNESCO World Heritage List. But for the fact that in 19th c they had been destroyed, the list would have also included Dominicanian church of St. Nicolaus and the other Toruń lost churches. Knowledge about the oldest church of St. John in the Old Toruń, presently a village situated about 10 km south from the city, is limited only to information, that it had been a fortified, brick construction dismantled at the end of 16th c. Data concerning later churches was obtained owing to archaeological studies; they refer to: Franciscan church of Virgin Mary from the 2nd half of 14th c, parish church of St. Jackob in the New Town from the 1st half of 14th c and Benedictine one of the Holy Spirit, founded in 1311. In two from the listed ones, present presbyteries with straight finishing had originally been thought as polygonal ones. The Virgin Mary church from the 3rd quarter of 14th c was the place of architectonic surveys in 1966, during which the relics of two former churches – first from the end of 13th c and the later one two-nave construction with the presbytery completed straight were excavated. During archaeological explorations in the years 1994–1995 a fragment of buttres of polygonal presbytery completing, confirming the original idea of such construction was found. Originally the church possessed three tops covering the finishing of triple roof, which appear in the drawing of J. F. Steiner from about 1740 made just before their dismantling. Ornamentations appearing on tops are known from Flandres and they might have been adopted from there. Dominicanian church of St. Nicolaus had probably been erected in the 2nd half of 14th c. It was two-nave construction with rectangular body and polygonal presbytery completing, with the monastery adhered from the North. It was pulled down in 1834. At the end of 20th c that church’s foundations with a fragment of buttress of the earlier, straight completed presbytery were excavated. They are, after partial reconstructions, accessible to visit. Cornerstone under the preserved St. Jackob parish church for the New Town had been deposited in 1309. The presbytery was completed in 1320, at present it is straight completed. As a result of archaeological works in 1942 it was stated that original presbytery had been to be finished with polygon. Medium size St. George church with rectangular nave and straight completion of the presbytery, built in the 1st half of 14th c served as a hospital church with leprosery and a cemetery; it was pulled down in 1811. St. Laurence church may have been erected in the 2nd half of 13th or 14th c. In accordance with iconographical sources it was equipped with quadrilateral tower and buildings adherent, which could have been the remains of a hospital mentioned in 1443. After modern fortifications had been built it found itself inside the bastion, which was pulled down in 1824. Very little is known about the Holy Cross church. It stood outside Chełmińska Gate nearby St. Laurence church. It might have been made of brick and erected together with cloister buildings of Benedictine nuns. There is lack of information concerning its history, it could have been destroyed during various wars. Benedictine Nuns church of the Holy Spirit together with the monastery, founded in 1311 was situated outside the town walls, on the Vistula, close to Holy Spirit Gate, known also as the Cloister Gate. Both constructions were destroyed and we have information concerning their look thanks to the drawings preserved in The Royal Library in Kopenhagen, made in 1656. The church had rectangular nave with the ceiling supported by one pole and straightly closed presbytery with a round polygonal tower cupped with a cone roof. It might have been destroyed after 1656. St. Catherine church, also called a chapel was situated outside St. Catherine Gate of the New Town. It was erected in 1360 as a burial church due to the pest which attacted the city in the same year; it has a cemetery nearby. The temple was pulled down in 1914. St. Barbara chapel in Barbarka (at present the place is situated within the city borders) might have been built in 1299 in the wood near water spring, where St. Barbara might have revealed to people. Unfortunately, there is no information concerning the chapel’s look. It was dismantled in 1800 and in 1842 a chapel of skeleton construction was erected at the site. St. Johns, Virgin Mary and St. Jackob churches with presbyteries closed straight at present, could originally have had presbyteries closed by polygons, what indicates, that they had been erected following Silesian church patterns and not as it has been supposed till now – Westphal patterns.
Authors and Affiliations
Eugeniusz Gąsiorowski
Keywords
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