Piaristic Church of st. Francis Xaverský (founded by the Jesuits, since 1776 piaristic) dominates the west end of Mierové Square and is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful sacral baroque monuments in Slovakia. Of interest is an illusive painting of the dome above the church facade – the dome is only an illusion and in fact does not exist.
The cornerstone was laid by the Jesuits in 1653. The church itself was designed and constructed in 1653 – 1657 by Italian builders Pietro and Gothard Spazzo in the early-Baroque style as one-nave building with side chapels with top opening emphoric oratories. The Il Gesú church in Rome served as inspiration not only for this church but also for many other Jesuit temples in Central Europe. This type of construction was also used for Vienna University Church (1623 – 1631) and Trnava University Church (1629 – 1637, Antonio and Pietro Spazzo). The Jesuit church in Trenčín in its layout and two-tower facade follows those two particular temples in Vienna and Trnava. The church was consecrated by the Ostrihom archbishop Juraj Lyppay on July 1, 1657, and St. Francis Xaverský (1506 – 1552) became its patron.
The catastrophic fire of Trenčín on May 4, 1708 destroyed the entire interior of the church as well as the neighbouring Jesuit monastery. Italian Jesuit frater and artist Andrea Pozzo (1642 – 1709), who designed the interior of Vienna University Church in 1703 – 1705, was invited to come to Trenčín from Vienna in July 1708 to design the interior of the Church of St. Francis Xaverský. Pozzo died on August 31, 1709 in Vienna and presumably did not manage to visit Trenčín and prepare the designs. In his stead came Christoph Tausch (1673 – 1731) Jesuit frater, architect and artist of Tyrol origin, who arrived in the winter of 1711 – 1712 from Vienna and created the entire project of the church´s renovation, supervised the construction works, and provided artistic work as well.
OPEN: you can visit the church before or after mass, which take place on Monday – Saturday at 6.00 and 18.00 and on Sunday at 6.00, 8.00, 10.00 and 18.00.
ENTRANCE FEE: voluntary
CONTACT
Kolégium piaristov v Trenčíne
Palackého 4, 912 50 Trenčín
Tel.: + 421 (0)32 743 70 86
