EDUCATION PROGRAM SOCRATES-COMENIUS

Rotunda of St. Catherine, Znojmo

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Photodocumentation
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It was built in the middle of 11.century and it is one of the oldest historical monuments in The Czech Republic.It comes back to the time of the rule of Bohemian prince Břetislav, who was a famous member of the Premyslid dynasty. It is situated in the area of the Znojmo castle where the residence of Moravian princes was and it is the oldest preserved monument that comes back to the time of the rule of the Premyslid dynasty in Moravia.

Rotunda was equipped with paintings and frescos in 1134 on the occasion of a wedding of another Moravian prince from the Premyslid dynasty Konrad II. with Marie, the sister of a Hungarian Queen.

After establishing Znojmo a royal town rotunda became a part of the royal castle. Since the 16. century rotunda was sold to the town and successively it was used as a storeroom for wood, a pigsty, a pub a dance place and finally as a basket workshop.In the middle of the 19.century some public voices required the rotunda to be preserved and reconstructed.

The first restoration of this monument was made by a Vienesse painter Melicher in the end of the 19.century.In 1938 it was partly restored by another Austrian painter Walliser.Only after the World War II. it was restored by proffessional academic painters Fisher, Alt and Martan.

The content of the paitings still remains a subject of the research. Experts suppose, that except biblical motives, the scenes are devoted to the genealogy of the Premyslid dynasty with the main scene of calling the Premysl Ploughman to the throne. This scene is followed by the portraits galery of 27 princes.

The Romanesque paintings are made in fresco-secco technology in yellow, ochre,blue and green colours.Rotunda of St.Catherine was declared our national sight of historical interest and became a symbol of the Czech State.

PHOTO DOCUMENTATION :

THEME WAS HANDLED BY :

Ondřej Kučera - R3 (year 2000/2001)