Rating: 7,9/10 (6006 votes)
St. Leonard Church is located in the St. Leonard district of Graz. Today, the temple is a late Gothic structure with a Baroque facade and annexes in the eastern part. The very first church dedicated to St. Leonard (patron saint of horses and cattle) was built on this site in 1361. Many parts of the church that we see today date from 1433. It is noteworthy that until the 18th century the church was dedicated not only to Saint Leonard, but also to the Virgin Mary. In the 17th century, a bell tower was added to the main building of the church. And in the 18th century, the chapel, portal and western facade were completed. In the 19th century, the church underwent a global reconstruction, after which a pulpit, two side altars and a high central altar appeared here. From 1959 to 1962, the temple was expanded to the east - additional premises were added, and the Gothic vaults of the church were preserved. The new structures support massive columns. The last reconstruction of the church was carried out in 1995 and since then the doors of the temple have been open to the public. Currently time the temple is a unique combination of buildings of different time periods, which look very harmonious. At the entrance to the church there are images of St. Leonard and the Virgin Mary. At the entrance to the church, on the left side there is a sacristy for prayer, and on the right - a baroque chapel with a baptismal font. Further, the premises of the temple expands to the altar part. The altar part is made in the shape of an octagon and is surrounded by walls of colored glass. It is crowned with a conical roof, with ribs lined with wood. Near the church of St. Leonard from the 15th century, there is a cemetery, where there is a small chapel and interesting sculptures. Today no one is buried in this cemetery. We also recommend reading Graz Cathedral (or Cathedral of St. Egidius) in Austria, Graz spa Topic: St. Leonard's Church in Austria, Graz spa. |