Romanesque Churches

Indeed, Romanesque churches constitutes part of a cultural heritage that must be protected, promoted, reconstructed, and maintained, the reasons for this book. One of the aims of this publication is also to raise public awareness in terms of protection and revitalization.

Although reconstruction of churches as Christian cultural buildings in Slovakia was delayed in comparison with southern Europe, plenty of sacral monuments from the pre-Romanesque and Romanesque periods survive in our territory. Archaeological research suggests that the tradition of sacral architecture is somewhat older, and that the first churches in the territory of Slovakia were most likely constructed in the ninth century. In addition to the Great Moravian churches, the book also promotes smaller and less popular churches. They have been grouped into individual geographical and historical units, which, although they do not cover the entire territory of Slovakia, still represent the sacral architecture of the indicated period.

Another purpose of this publication is to serve as a kind of guidebook. The idea is to provide a comprehensive description of a location even before it is visited. Each presentation of an individual church begins with the identification of its location and continues with its history, and the unique and interesting features regarding its construction or decor. Maps and modern photographs, both of church exteriors and interiors are, of course, included. It was not easy to select “only” 41 of the most interesting churches. We are aware that experts or readers do not have to agree with our idea of what is interesting from an aesthetic or historic point of view. We have tried though, to choose the most interesting and intriguing representations from each region of Slovakia.