Spišská Kapitula

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 49°00′N 20°45′E / 49, 20.75

Spišská Kapitula
Ecclesiastical Town
Spišská Kapitula from the air
Country	Slovakia
Region	Prešov
District	Levoča
Municipality	Spišské Podhradie

Coordinates	49°00′N 20°45′E / 49, 20.75

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Name	Spišský Hrad and its Associated Cultural Monuments
Year	1993 (#17)
Number	620
Region	Europe and North America
Criteria	iv

Location of Spišská Kapitula in Slovakia
Location of Spišská Kapitula in the Western part of the Prešov Region

Spišská Kapitula (Hungarian: Szepesi Káptalan, both meaning the "Spiš Chapterhouse") is an exceptionally well-preserved ecclesiastical town on the outskirts of Spišské Podhradie, Slovakia, and overlooking Spiš Castle. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town consists of the Cathedral of St. Martin, a former monastery, and a single street, all of mediaeval construction and enclosed by a wall. The lower gate gives a spectacular view of Spiš Castle, located on an opposite hill.

Spišská Kapitula became the main seat of the church administration in the region in the 12th century. In 1776 it became the seat of the Diocese of Spiš (Szepes). (The present bishop, the 13th, is Mgr. František Tondra).

The cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries in the Romanesque and Gothic styles. It is one of the largest and most interesting Romanesque monuments in Slovakia. It contains many mediaeval carved altars and is the resting place of many lords of Spiš Castle; the 15th century carved marble tombstones of the Zapolsky family are of exceptional quality. A recently restored wall-painting from 1317 depicts the coronation of Charles Robert of Anjou as the King of Hungary; another painting in the cathedral is the source of the name of the unknown Kirchdorf Master.

Spišská Kapitula was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1995.