Merkinės parapinė bažnyčia: architektūrinės raidos klausimai

LTŠiame straipsnyje pristatomi duomenys, atspindintys Merkinės bažnyčios architektūrinę raidę. Keliami klausimai apie galimą mūrinės bažnyčios statybos pradžios laikotarpį, kuris skiriasi nuo istoriografijoje nusistovėjusių teiginių. Tyrimas parodė, kad mūrinė Merkinės bažnyčios architektūra - tai gotikos ir renesanso sintezė, o statybos darbai galėjo prasidėti XVI a. pabaigoje, jau po Merkinę nusiaubusių gaisrų. Išvadose atskleidžiami bažnyčios architektūrinės raidos etapai. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Merkinė, parapinė bažnyčia, gotika, renesansas, architektūrinė raida, bažnyčių architektūra. [Iš leidinio]

ENThe parish church at Merkinė is considered to be one of the oldest buildings in southern Lithuania, but until now the date of its construction was not clear. For this reason, the aim of this work is to define the period of the construction of the brick church, and to analyse its architectural development, distinguishing different stages in the building’s development. The development of Merkinė church can be divided into several stages. The wooden church of the first stage can be attributed to the second half of the 14th century to the end of the 16th century, before the fires that devastated Merkinė. There is no data about the church building itself in this period, although the founding of the church in Merkinė at the initiative of Jogaila is confirmed in 1442. However, there is no exact data in the privilege of Casimir Jagiellon on when the first wooden church was probably built. No known later privileges that the Grand Duke of Lithuania granted the church give information about the work of rebuilding the church or the intention to build a brick church. The second stage is the late 16th century and the early 17th century, when the current brick church was built. Surviving architectural details of the church from the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century, and the technique of the masonry construction, allow the construction of the building to be dated to the second half of the 16th century, but some details could date from the first half of the 17th century. The third stage in the church’s development is from the middle of the 17th to the early 19th century, about which there is very little data.In the document of a visitation to the church in 1663 it is written that the church was badly damaged during the war with Moscow, and was rebuilt at that time by Michael Casimir Pac, the Grand Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The fourth stage is from the early 19th century to 1884, which is marked by damage to the church and the poor condition of the building. After the building was damaged in 1812, when Napoleon’s army set up a warehouse in it, the entire roof burned down in 1822, and perhaps the old pediment of the church also collapsed at that time. Although it was still in use, major repair work took place only after a couple of decades, when the churchyard was surrounded by a wall and a bell tower was built, and some work was done both to the outside and the inside of the church. Only then was the roof of the church put in order. Despite that, the condition of the church’s exterior walls was described as bad, until repair work started in 1884. The fifth stage in the church’s development is the period from 1884 to 1912, during which its current state formed. In 1884, a new porch was built, dominating the main facade. At that time, during repairs to the church, the side entrance was bricked up and the exterior walls were newly plastered. Visual records testify to the fact that the current pediment of the Baroque-style church was built at the very end of the 19th century, at which time the roof was covered with tiles. The last major renovation work took place in 1912, when the interior was repainted, some of the altars were moved to the sanctuary, and the floor was laid with tiles. [From the publication]