Former Benedictine Abbey Church of Saint James the Apostle (Szent Jakab-templom), built in the early 1200s, at Lébény, Gyor-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary. The basilica, with a nave, two aisles and three apses, is among the earliest and best examples of Hungarian Romanesque architecture. Lébény’s turbulent history includes destruction by Tartar and Turk invaders. The basilica was restored to its original style in the late 1800s and now serves as the parish church.
Lébény, Gyor-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary: rebuilt twin western towers rise above the roofline of Szent Jakab-templom, the former Benedictine Abbey Church of Saint James the Apostle, built from 1202 to 1208. The basilica, featuring a nave, two aisles and three apses, is among the earliest and best examples of the Hungarian Romanesque architectural style. Lébény has a turbulent history. The church survived the destruction of the village by the Tartars in 1242 and by the forces of Ottokár IV, Margrave of Styria, in 1271. In 1529 the monastic buildings burned to the ground after being set alight by Turkish troops and the stone vault and north tower of the abbey church both collapsed. The monks abandoned the ruins, moving to a safer location. In the 1630s, the Jesuits rebuilt the monastery and renovated the ruined church, but decades of relative peace ended abruptly in 1683 when Turks marching on Vienna again burned both Lébény and its monastery. Although the village was also ravaged by plague, the Jesuits repaired the damage once more - only for a huge fire to devastate the church in 1841, bringing the roof down again. A new phase in the ancient basilica’s history began in 1862, when Nuremberg architect August Essenwein led a three-year restoration of the interior. He designed new furnishings, new glass was created for the windows and the pediment of the main doorway was decorated with a fresco depicting the Adoration of the Magi. The exterior was restored to its original early 13th century style between 1872 and 1879. The church is the only surviving remnant of the original monastery. It stands in the town square and now serves as Lébény’s Roman Catholic parish church.
Size: 2620px × 3892px
Location: Lébény, Gyor-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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