Trakai and around, part 2
After some time I am continuing my reports about less famous places in Trakai. Today about the church of Trakai. I can't say that the church in Trakai is so unknown monument in this town but in any case church can't compete in any way with the island castle. But church and in particular it's old frescoes is one of the most important monuments in Lithuania ...
Located in the center of this not big town the church of Trakai is well seen from many points of this town:
If not the island castle the church would be the most important point of attraction:
In Lithuanian context this is old church - it was founded in 1409 by most famous Trakai resident of all times :) Initially it was fully Gothic. In 1655 it was partially destroyed and reconstructed in 1670. Again was partially destroyed during Nordic wars. After the wars it was again restored and reconstructed in 1719. Then it got some Baroque features. Again church was reconstructed in 1796, 4 times in XIXth century, etc. , etc.
So today only parts of old Gothic elements could be seen in the exterior:
Inside the church:
And one of the biggest misteries and biggest hopes in Lithuanian history are still related with this church. History decided that we don't have any portrait of any Grand Duke from Golden age of the duchy which was painted from "nature" (when the duke was alive and posed for the portrait). All portraits that are used today are only later imaginations. There are no any hope to find any portrait from the Mindaugas -Kestutis period. But it is well known fact that Vytautas had his portrait painted as as frescoe on a Trakai church wall (and may be even on the castle wall). This portrait was well exposed in the church till the war of 1654-1657 and later disappeared ...
So it was real sensation when during the latest restauration in 2007-2008 (restauration only will be finished this year) were found parts of the frescoes which were clearly painted in early XVth century. Unfortunatelly the parts that were found up to this day can't be firmly ascribed to the portrait of the greatest native of this town of all times ...
May be HIM ?
Today Trakai church has only this portrait of Grand Duke. Looking to the clothings specialists makes and assumtion that the portrait was painted between 1650 and 1700 ... :
Another wonder of the Trakai church is Maria portrait. There are later (but no contemporary) documentations that this icon was given as a gift to GD Vytautas by the emperor of Byzantium Emanuel II Paleolog and shows Nikopea. And this icon helped the emperor Jan Komnen (1087-1143) to break the siege of Persian troops... If this is true then icon is extremely old monument in this country. (At least it is known for sure that since 1500s this icon for sure was the place of worship and pilgrimage by Catholics, Orthodoxes and even Muslims).
The icon could be seen on the official site of Trakai church:
http://www.trakubaznycia.lt/index.php?id=4
And some few last photos from Trakai church:
In the chappel of the Roemer family:
Located in the center of this not big town the church of Trakai is well seen from many points of this town:
If not the island castle the church would be the most important point of attraction:
In Lithuanian context this is old church - it was founded in 1409 by most famous Trakai resident of all times :) Initially it was fully Gothic. In 1655 it was partially destroyed and reconstructed in 1670. Again was partially destroyed during Nordic wars. After the wars it was again restored and reconstructed in 1719. Then it got some Baroque features. Again church was reconstructed in 1796, 4 times in XIXth century, etc. , etc.
So today only parts of old Gothic elements could be seen in the exterior:
Inside the church:
And one of the biggest misteries and biggest hopes in Lithuanian history are still related with this church. History decided that we don't have any portrait of any Grand Duke from Golden age of the duchy which was painted from "nature" (when the duke was alive and posed for the portrait). All portraits that are used today are only later imaginations. There are no any hope to find any portrait from the Mindaugas -Kestutis period. But it is well known fact that Vytautas had his portrait painted as as frescoe on a Trakai church wall (and may be even on the castle wall). This portrait was well exposed in the church till the war of 1654-1657 and later disappeared ...
So it was real sensation when during the latest restauration in 2007-2008 (restauration only will be finished this year) were found parts of the frescoes which were clearly painted in early XVth century. Unfortunatelly the parts that were found up to this day can't be firmly ascribed to the portrait of the greatest native of this town of all times ...
May be HIM ?
Today Trakai church has only this portrait of Grand Duke. Looking to the clothings specialists makes and assumtion that the portrait was painted between 1650 and 1700 ... :
Another wonder of the Trakai church is Maria portrait. There are later (but no contemporary) documentations that this icon was given as a gift to GD Vytautas by the emperor of Byzantium Emanuel II Paleolog and shows Nikopea. And this icon helped the emperor Jan Komnen (1087-1143) to break the siege of Persian troops... If this is true then icon is extremely old monument in this country. (At least it is known for sure that since 1500s this icon for sure was the place of worship and pilgrimage by Catholics, Orthodoxes and even Muslims).
The icon could be seen on the official site of Trakai church:
http://www.trakubaznycia.lt/index.php?id=4
And some few last photos from Trakai church:
In the chappel of the Roemer family: