The Church of St Stephen in Piešťany: a classicist landmark
The Church of St Stephen (Kostol svätého Štefana) is the Roman Catholic parish church in the old town of Piešťany, western Slovakia. The present building dates from 1828–1832 and is a classicist, Empire-style church with a simple nave, a tower built into the west gable and furnishings from several periods. It is a national cultural monument and a quiet counterpoint to the spa town's better-known sights.
A parish church that lost a bell in 1916 and waited until 1947 for a new one, which was blessed on the very day the priest who ordered it died.
The history of the Church of St Stephen in Piešťany
The first mention of a Roman Catholic parish and church in Piešťany dates from the year 1332. The church seen in the old town today is a much younger building, which replaced the earlier one in the early 19th century. It was begun in 1828 by the local landowner, Count František Erdődy, and finished in 1831. It was consecrated a year later, in 1832. The church was built in the classicist style known as Empire, which was popular in Central Europe in the first decades of the 19th century.
The architecture is simple and clear. The church has a single longitudinal space covered by Prussian vaults and an oval end to the chancel. The outer walls are divided by fluted pilasters, and on the west side a tower with a pyramidal roof is built into the gabled façade. The church is dedicated to Stephen I of Hungary, the first king of Hungary, and the main altar from the time of construction shows him. It was made in Vienna, as the signature of the gilder shows, and the altar painting of St Stephen the King by a master named Ziegler is signed with the year 1831. Of the original side altars only two sculptures survive, of the Sorrowful Virgin Mary and St Joseph.
The interior has been enriched over the following centuries. The wall paintings were created in 1931 by the trio Papp, Petrovič and Enhof, and the stained-glass windows were produced in 1950 to designs by Janko Alexy. The confessionals in a historicising style date from the 20th century and are the work of masters from Piešťany. The church lost one of its bells in 1916. After the war the priest Alexander Šindelár had a replacement made, and it was blessed on 2 November 1947, the day of his death.
In 2005 the church received a new crown for its tower: a cross 213 centimetres long and weighing 70 kilograms, gilded with 24-carat gold and made by the art blacksmith Juraj Šulek. It was blessed by the dean of Piešťany, Jozef Bohunický, on 13 March and placed on the church on 18 March. Today the church is a protected national cultural monument.
Curiosities about the Church of St Stephen
- The first written mention of a Roman Catholic parish and church in Piešťany dates from 1332, nearly five centuries before the present building.
- The main altar was made in Vienna; the gilder's signature on it reveals where it came from, and the altar painting is signed with the year 1831.
- A bell missing since 1916 was replaced after the war and blessed on 2 November 1947, the day the priest who commissioned it died.
- In 2005 the church tower was crowned with a cross 213 cm long and weighing 70 kg, gilded with 24-carat gold.
- Of the original side altars only two sculptures survive: the Sorrowful Virgin Mary and St Joseph.
- The stained-glass windows of 1950 follow designs by Janko Alexy, and the murals of 1931 are the work of three painters: Papp, Petrovič and Enhof.
Tours near Church of St Stephen, Piešťany
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Church of St Stephen in Piešťany
- The church stands in the old town of Piešťany and is easy to combine with a walk through the town.
- From outside, look at the fluted pilasters, the pyramidal roof of the tower and the gilded cross on top.
- Inside, features worth looking for are the main altar of St Stephen from the 1830s, the painted walls of 1931 and the stained glass of 1950.
- The sources do not give details about opening hours or access, so check the current opening hours before you go and respect any services in progress.
- Other places on this site nearby include the Colonnade Bridge (about 2 km), Tematín (about 11 km), Čachtice Castle (about 15 km) and Topoľčany Castle (about 17 km).
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Church of St Stephen, Piešťany is
Questions
Where is the Church of St Stephen in Piešťany?
It stands in the old town of Piešťany in western Slovakia. It is the Roman Catholic parish church of the town.
When was the Church of St Stephen built?
The present church was built in 1828–1832. Construction began in 1828, the building was finished in 1831 and it was consecrated a year later.
What style is the church?
It is a classicist church in the Empire style, with a simple nave, fluted pilasters and a tower built into the west gable.
Who is the church dedicated to?
It is dedicated to St Stephen, the first king of Hungary. The main altar from the time of construction shows him, and the altar painting is signed with the year 1831.
Is it a protected monument?
Yes, it is a national cultural monument. A Roman Catholic parish and church are recorded in Piešťany as early as 1332.
Is it worth a visit?
It is a quiet stop for anyone interested in architecture and local history in Piešťany, and it is easy to combine with a walk through the old town.
Also nearby
Kolonádový most
Piešťany · Slovakia's longest covered bridge, with etched glass
1.5 km away
Tematín Castle
Lúka · ruined castle on a forested ridge, reached only on foot
11 km away
Čachtice Castle
Čachtice · hilltop ruins linked to Elizabeth Báthory
15 km away
Topoľčany Castle
Podhradie · tower ruin on a rock, where the Hussites never came
17 km away