Everything about Biserica Neagr totally explained
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Biserica Neagră or
Black Church (
German:
Schwarze Kirche;
Romanian:
Biserica Neagră;
Hungarian:
Fekete templom) is a cathedral in
Braşov, a city in south-eastern
Transylvania,
Romania. It was built by the
German community of the city and stands as the main
Gothic style monument in the country, as well as being the largest and one of the most important
Lutheran (
Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania) places of worship in the region.
History
The originally-
Roman Catholic structure was known as the Church of
Saint Mary, replacing an older building used for the same purpose. Construction on it began during the late 14th century, at an unknown date — analysis of related evidence has led several researchers to conclude that work began between 1383 and 1385. It is known that, in its first stages, the building was serviced by a priest named Thomas (died 1410), whose grave is located in the
choir area. Work on the fortifications in the surrounding area probably began at the same time as work on the church, leading in time to the completion of Braşov's third citadel.
Its
altar originally featured a single column, but its role in supporting the entire central structure — on the model of German cathedrals built by
Hans Stettheimer —, a view expressed by researchers such as
Ernst Kühlbrandt and
Antal Hekler, is under dispute. The
naves took longer to complete, and construction was interrupted for various intervals: in 1423,
Pope Martin V issued an
indulgence for people involved in construction, as a means to reactivate the site; in 1474, a document issued by
Sixtus IV acknowledged that work was still lagging.
Several octogonal pillars, redesigned at least once during the building process, were probably completed around 1444. One of them features the inlaid crest of military leader
John Hunyadi, who is mentioned among the church benefactors. The most intense work took place before and after 1450, and involved completing the exceptionally large number of
portals, including the northern "Golden Gate" and its adjacent altar of the Holy Sacrifice. The eastern portal, commissioned by the
Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus, was completed in 1476. The
vestry was enlarged at some point between 1500 and 1515.
Completed during the 15th century (soon after 1476), the church belongs to the final stages of Gothic architecture. The result was a three-nave
basilica, all the same height, as was preferred during the 15th and 16th centuries in the
German lands, where most of the architects and masons originated. Many parts of the building show similarities with the church in
Sebeş and
St. Michael Church of
Cluj-Napoca, as well as with the
Dominikánsky kostol in
Košice. The design was itself an inspiration for other religious buildings in the region, and it's possible that a stonemason originally employed on the site later worked on the church in
Ghimbav.
The Catholic services were replaced with Lutheran ones during the
Protestant Reformation, coinciding with the influence exercised by
Johannes Honter. A statue in memory of Honter was later erected by
Harro Magnussen on one side of the building. The structure was partially destroyed during a great fire set by invading
Habsburg forces on the
April 21,
1689 (during the
Great Turkish War). Afterward, it became known as the
Black Church. A large part of the inner structure was modified during the 18th century, breaking with the original design.
Following the fire of 1689, Biserica Neagră was repaired with the help of masons coming from
Danzig, as local craftsmen didn't master the craft of completing the enormous
vaults; these were to be completed in
Baroque style.
Features
Biserica Neagră is 89 meters in length and 38 meters wide. It measures 65 meters from the floor level to the highest point of its only
bell tower. The Black Church has a six ton bell, the biggest in Romania, an impressive 4,000 pipe
organ built in 1839 by Carl August Buchholz (1796-1884) which is played during weekly concerts, as well as a rich collection of
Anatolian carpets (donated in the Middle Ages by
Transylvanian Saxon merchants).
Much of the outside structure was built in friable
grit, which caused outer sculptures and masonry elements to deteriorate with time. The oldest features surviving include several sculptures, arches, simpler masonry patterns such as trilobes, as well as numerous portals, while the crowning is imitation Gothic dating from the 18th century.
The oldest sculpture appears to be the almost completely deteriorated bust of
John the Baptist, located in the choir section, reflects the
Bohemian
Gothic art as seen in the works of
Johann and
Peter Parler. A more flamboyant Gothic style was used in the outside sculptures — those probably depicting Biserica Neagră's supposed founder, Thomas, and the Catholic
patron saint of Transylvania,
Nicholas. Other pieces in that style include the
Nativity,
Salvator Mundi, an
archangel, as well as depictions of saints believed to be the
Four Evangelists (probably completed in various stages between 1430 and 1450). Newer medieval sculptures, created after 1450 and showing some
Renaissance influences, feature the northward
bas-relief depicting
Jesus Christ in the
Second Temple of
Jerusalem, as well as various figures on the same facade. The statue of Mary and Jesus features the coat of arms of Braşov beneath and stands towards the old mayory building, as she's the patron of the city.
A partly destroyed
mural, which appears to have been completed around 1477, is situated near the southeastern portal, and features the crests of
Matthias Corvinus and his wife Beatrice. It shows the Nativity, together with depictions of
Saint Catherine and
Saint Barbara. Unlike the inner
Annunciation mural, which is late Gothic, the outside painting is heavily influenced by the Renaissance. Biserica Neagră also features a
cast iron tabernacle in Gothic style, a
baptismal font (completed in 1472 and donated by a merchant named Johannes Rewdel), two large
chalices (both dated around 1504) and several
brocade chasubles (created between in the late 15th and mid-16th centuries).
The cathedral is a major symbol of Braşov, and a museum open to visitors of the city center. A Lutheran service is held each Sunday for the small German community in the city.
Image:The gold gate.jpg|The "Golden Gate"
Image:Virgin Mary, Brasov patron.jpg|Mary and Jesus (outside sculpture)
Image:Biserica Neagra Statui.jpg|Outside sculptures
Image:Statue on Black Church.jpg|Outside sculpture
Image:Black Church Brasov.jpg|View from the side, with a statue of Johannes Honter
Image:Black church from Barasov.jpg|View from the side
Image:BisericaNeagradinPtaSfatului.jpg|The Church seen from the Council Square
Image:Black Church Brasov 2.jpg|View of the Church and its surroundings
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