Veszprém – Giselle Chapel

Történeti leírás

Medieval church construction era and reconstruction

This chapel was built as a two-story palace chapel in the building complex of the interior castle using the remains of former buildings. The ground floor has paintings from the middle third of the 13th century. The upper floor was converted and painted during the reign of the bishop Albert Vetési in the middle of the 15th century.

16-17 th century history

In the 17th century, the protruding second story covered in a roof was open.

Historical description 1701-1945

It was probably damaged during Heister’s attack in 1707 and repaired by the bishop Imre Esterházy in 1720. It served a secular function in the 1740s. It stored the ordinands’ wine and was a licensed wine outlet. The grand provost Márton Padányi Biró, when building the grand provost house, linked its cellar to the chapel’s cellar, which had been deepened and has a flight of stairs on the western side. It is connected to the chapel upstairs by the former door of the sacristy and a higher doorway, ...Read more

It was probably damaged during Heister’s attack in 1707 and repaired by the bishop Imre Esterházy in 1720. It served a secular function in the 1740s. It stored the ordinands’ wine and was a licensed wine outlet. The grand provost Márton Padányi Biró, when building the grand provost house, linked its cellar to the chapel’s cellar, which had been deepened and has a flight of stairs on the western side. It is connected to the chapel upstairs by the former door of the sacristy and a higher doorway, and the roof was also repaired. He planned on restoring the chapel properly and reinstating its liturgical function. In connection with the construction of the new episcopal palace alongside it on the southern side that began in 1765, it was demolished except for the northern wall that was part of the ground floor sacristy and the grand provost’s house, but it was rebuilt to nearly the same plan to preserve its medieval nature. The support structure of the ground floor was rebuilt and three of the keystones from the vaults on the upper story were included in the simpler groin vaulting of the ground floor. The theme and pictorial program of the medieval painting that had survived on the northern wall of the ground floor and had been seen on the eastern wall but had been removed along with the plastering was recreated in the Baroque style. The entrance was on the open western façade and was connected to the palace by a passageway with stairs on the southern wall, so since that time on it has been a part of the palace. A Baroque marble altar with a large crucifix was erected. It was consecrated on 10 April 1772, dedicated to “Our Savior crucified for us”. This and the name of the bishop Ignác Koller who had it constructed were recorded on a marble plaque on the façade. The upper story was not reconstructed, and it was roofed with flat slabs over the attic wall. Its planned function was to store the relics of Queen Giselle. There were minor repairs performed due to moisture in the 1840s. There was some purist restoration work performed according to the plans of Ferenc Deéd Dex in 1937-1938 in preparation for the anniversary year of St. Stephen, funded by donations from the canon Dr. István Beöthy. The Baroque plastering, the paintings, the furniture, and the attic wall on the façade with the plaque on the ground floor were removed. The upper story was re-roofed, and the short painted inscription refers to Queen Giselle. The window behind the altar was made narrower. A new iron grate gate and block-like altar with an engraved inscription were made. Its planned function was again the storage of Queen Giselle’s relics. Read less

Historical description 1945-

After 1949, it remained in church ownership as a part of the palace. Archaeological and structural research was performed under the leadership of Alán Kralovánszky (Bakonyi Múzeum) in 1980-1982. After rehabilitation, it became an exhibition space for the Veszprém Museum. After 1989, it became a church property and exhibition space. Mitigation of damage caused by water leakage and the restoration of the mural paintings was performed in the 1990s under the leadership of Klára Deák (ÁMRK). The plan...Read more

After 1949, it remained in church ownership as a part of the palace. Archaeological and structural research was performed under the leadership of Alán Kralovánszky (Bakonyi Múzeum) in 1980-1982. After rehabilitation, it became an exhibition space for the Veszprém Museum. After 1989, it became a church property and exhibition space. Mitigation of damage caused by water leakage and the restoration of the mural paintings was performed in the 1990s under the leadership of Klára Deák (ÁMRK). The planner of the rehabilitation between 1991 and 1993 was Katalin M. Szilas, which included comprehensive research on the lower floor due to damp proofing, as well as a new ceiling and floor pavement. A new roof was made to protect the upper story, designed by János Sedlmayer in 1996. The stone carvings on the upper story were restored by Vilmos Osgyáni and József Sütő in 2000. A complete rehabilitation was begun in 2021. Read less

Mai templom adatai

Name

Roman Catholic chapel

Location

Veszprém, Vár u. 16.; hrsz. 294.

Map

Google Maps

Level of protection

monument, archaeological site

Heritage ref. number

4734

Heritage ID

10684

Recommended for protection

national

Original style

castle chapel

Current defining style

Late Romanesque – Early Gothic, Baroque, Modern (purist, Roman school)

Position in the church organization

Out of liturgical use

General characteristics

This is a medieval monument of outstanding national significance. It stands on the eastern side of Szentháromság (Holy Trinity) Square between the episcopal palace and the grand provost’s house, and its entrance is located on the narrow triumphal arch-like façade of the latter. A barrel-vaulted sacristy was linked on both levels to the originally two-story, single-nave, two-bay space with ribbed groin vaulting and a square apse. The Baroque reconstruction of the ground floor space can be seen pr...Read more

This is a medieval monument of outstanding national significance. It stands on the eastern side of Szentháromság (Holy Trinity) Square between the episcopal palace and the grand provost’s house, and its entrance is located on the narrow triumphal arch-like façade of the latter. A barrel-vaulted sacristy was linked on both levels to the originally two-story, single-nave, two-bay space with ribbed groin vaulting and a square apse. The Baroque reconstruction of the ground floor space can be seen presently. The figurative and decorative painting is just as good quality as the carvings of the support structure (Agnus Dei, Dextera Domini, pairs of dragons, ornamental details), and both are related to the royal court art of the era. The painting on the northern wall imitating marble slab tiles has been preserved in situ. Above this are the standing figures of pairs of apostles in each vault section and the remains of colorful marbling on the dividing elements, corbels, ribs and ashlar chancel arch pillars, both in situ and reconstructed. The northern wall and its two wall pillars with the spring points of their vaulting can be seen in the former upper story space, as well as the sacristy door with a three-lobed arch, which has been temporarily covered. Read less

Veszprém – Giselle Chapel

Parishes

Settlements