Jarek Pokrzywnicki

Polska - 27-Mar-24 -

Gemer and Abov churches with the medieval mural paintings – sites visited in April, 2023.

Official site description points 10 churches with well-preserved mural paintings from the 14th and 15th century while specific sites locations shows only 8 of them (similar situation to Troodos churches in Cyprus or Asante buildings in Ghana). All of them are quite characteristic for Eastern Europe architecture (gothic style with later alternations) and similar history (part are still Roman Catholic, the rest are reformed or evangelic – just as the case of Wooden Churches in Slovakia).

Gemer and Abov are the names of Slovak historic regions, both mostly connected with Kingdom of Hungary. In fact lots of people in the area still speak Hungarian. I travelled there with own car from Kosice (another tentative site). Churches can easily be combined with visiting caves of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst (Gombasecka, Ochtinska Aragonitova) and Karst Valleys of Slovakia. Personally I visited only 4 of them at Plesivec, Stitnik, Ochtina and Rakos.

Reformed Church in Plešivec – placed in the center of the village (official google coordinates are around 100 meters from our map). Two-nave church looks as currently not used but partly restored. The whole area is fenced, during my visit the gate was closed. It is also a part of so called Goticka Cesta (Rout of Gothic Monuments) in Slovakia an association founded in 2007 for protection and restoration of cultural monuments.

More about the church history in English- https://gotickacesta.sk/en/plesivec-en/

There are also contacts – I did not try so not sure if it is still valid. Contact (from the above website): Alžbeta Hegedüsová - Phone number: +421 905 665 125 (SK/HU)

Gothic Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Štítnik – still in use, placed in the center of medieval small town. Do not confuse with Roman Catholic church (Kostol sv. Júdu Tadeáša) located on the other side of Market Square (Námestie 1. Mája). If the gothic church is closed you can see the part of frescos on outside walls (poorly preserved)

More about the church: https://gotickacesta.sk/en/stitnik/

Contact (from the above website): Contact person: Mgr. Jana Hrivniaková, pastor- Telephone number: +421 907 337 855

Evangelical Church in Ochtiná – located in the center of Ochtina village. Looks as the oldest of selected churches (tower suggests Romanesque origin), single nave building, still in service. You can try to receive the key from presbytery building (Evanjelický a. v. farský úrad, next to the church). During my visit the person responsible was in the town returning in the evening. Anyway you can visit the church from the outside (the gate in the wall is not closed).

More about the church: https://gotickacesta.sk/en/ochtina/

Contact (from the above website): Contact person: Martin Dudáš, diacon- Telephone number: +421 905 874 096

Church in Rákoš - Kostol Najsvätejšej Trojice, church of the Holy Trinity, gothic, located in the northern part of the village, do not confuse with the main evangelic church (Evanjelický a. v. kostol, in the village center). The gothic church, single nave looks quite modest from outside but the real treasure is the interior - almost full covered with frescos. They were made in mid XV century by Italian painters (Southern Slovakia were part of Hungarian Kingdom influenced by Italian artists). Among the paintings there is a figure of God with 3 faces (Holy Trinity) – unusual view later on banned by Trident Council (because it resembles pagan god of Triglav).

More about the church https://gotickacesta.sk/en/rakos/

Outside the church there is table with information – opening hours – July – August on Saturdays 9-15, outside the opening hours prior phone call arrangement. Contact person: Mrs Pavlikova, sacristian, Phone number: +421 915 152 432

Chances for future inscription ? For me quite high - even if medieval frescos are available in other Slovakian sites – like in Zehra church (part of Spissky Hrad and Levoca) or Bardejov (frescos in St Egilda Cathedral).

Practicalities: Used own car for transportation. The roads are very good, marked, you can park everywhere free of charge. Stayed overnight in Penzion Adriana (wrong coordinated on Booking, correct google coordinates 48.62378542675348, 20.57644932388708) in Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka – good place to stay if you want to explore Slovak Karst, please note that the caves are not open for the public in winter months (November to March), and from April there are schedule visits only, may be crowded on weekends.

Places on the photo, bottom left, than clockwise: Reformed Church in Plešivec, Evangelical Church in Ochtiná, Church in Štítnik, Holy Trinity in Rakos, Rakos church with bell-tower.