Church & monasteryEastern Slovakia & Spiš

Basilica of St James in Levoča: a Gothic church with a record-breaking altar

The Basilica of St James (Bazilika svätého Jakuba) towers over the main square of Levoča in eastern Slovakia, next to the Renaissance town hall. Begun in the 14th century, it is the second largest church in the country and a key part of the UNESCO site of Levoča, Spiš Castle and associated monuments. It is one of the best reasons for a detour to the Spiš region.

In the middle of a quiet Spiš town stands an altar 18.62 metres tall, carved from lime wood by a master whose name was almost lost: the only proof of his authorship is a painted epitaph on a wall.

WhereMain square of Levoča, Spiš region, Prešov Region, eastern Slovakia

TypeGothic parish church, since 2015 a basilica minor; UNESCO World Heritage Site

Best forLovers of medieval art, history fans, photographers and anyone who enjoys a view from a church tower

Getting thereIn the centre of Levoča; the church stands across the main axis of the historic square, beside the town hall

The history of the Basilica of St James

Levoča appears in written sources as a village in a charter of King Béla IV from 1249. By 1271 it had become the main town of the Spiš Saxons, and in the 14th century its citizens decided to replace an older church on the main square with a far larger one. Fragments of the earlier building, dated to around 1280, survive in today's sacristy. Building began in the first quarter of the 14th century, starting with the sanctuary, and the nave was probably vaulted around the middle of the century. Around 1390–1392 the chapel of St George was added on the north side as a burial chapel for a burgher from Košice, and by 1400 the three-aisled church with a raised central nave was finished. Some window tracery shows the influence of the Parler-style building tradition of the Luxembourg court.

The decades around 1500 were a golden age for the town. After King Matthias Corvinus visited Levoča in 1474, the south entrance received a porch with a rich star vault and, above it, a small chapel known as King Matthias's oratory (1480–1490). Guilds, brotherhoods and wealthy families paid for altars, encouraged by the humanist parish priest Ján Henckel, who also built a famous church library above the north porch. After 1500 the late Gothic carver Master Paul settled in Levoča and worked mainly for this church. Between 1507 and 1517 his workshop produced the high altar, today the tallest late Gothic altar in the world at 18.62 metres.

In 1544 the town turned to the Lutheran faith and the church changed hands, yet its medieval furnishings survived, and in 1622 an organ gallery and a richly decorated organ were added. The Catholics regained the building in the 1670s, the two confessions shared it from 1706 to 1710, and from 1710 it has belonged to the Catholics alone. In the late 18th century the upper part of the tower was taken down because of its poor condition, and between the 1850s and the early 1870s it was replaced by a neo-Gothic octagonal top designed by the Levoča architect Fridrich Muck. From the 1870s a general restoration brought the stained-glass windows, and the bells were partly melted down in the First World War and replaced in 1925. A large restoration followed in 1948–1949. In 2009 the church became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and on 30 November 2015 Pope Francis raised it to the rank of basilica minor.

Curiosities about the Basilica of St James

The high altar by Master Paul's workshop, finished in 1517, measures 18.62 metres and is described as the tallest wooden altar in the world.
Many Passion scenes painted on the altar are based on engravings by Lucas Cranach from 1509, and the statues of the twelve apostles at the top are older still, dated to about 1390.
In the Last Supper of the altar's base, one apostle wears the cap of a woodworker of the period, so he is thought to be a self-portrait of Master Paul. This is an assumption, not a proven fact.
A painted epitaph for Margita Urbanovič, a relative of Master Paul, is the only contemporary record naming him as creator of the high altar.
The sculptures of the Nativity altar were hidden in the town hall for around 200 years during the religious unrest and are now part of a Baroque altar.
The organ builder Hans Hummel fell to his death from the scaffolding in 1630 while building the organ, which was completed by Juraj Nitrovský and was then the largest organ in the Kingdom of Hungary.

Tours near Basilica of St James, Levoča

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Private Hiking Tour Visit to Slovakia with Licensed Guide

★ 5 (75 reviews) · 6 h

See details ›

Day Hike with a Local Mountain Guide in High Tatras

★ 5 (6 reviews) · 8 h

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Enchanting Levoča: Love Amidst Historic Grandeur

2 h

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Echoes of History: Levoča Legendary Stroll

2 h

See details ›

Visiting the Basilica of St James

The church has 18 altars; besides the high altar, look for the altar of the Four Saints John, the altar of St Anne and the Vir Dolorum altar linked to King Matthias Corvinus and his wife Beatrice.
Medieval wall paintings survive in the sanctuary and on the north wall, including a long cycle of scenes from the legend of St Dorothy from about 1400.
The tower, which the town once used as a fire watch, is open to visitors and offers a view over the historic centre. Check the current opening hours before you go.
The church stands in the centre of Levoča beside the town hall, so it is easy to combine with a walk around the old town. Other places on this site nearby include the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Levoča and the pilgrimage hill of Mariánska hora, about 2 km away.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Basilica of St James, Levoča is

Photos of Basilica of St James, Levoča

Questions

Where is the Basilica of St James in Levoča and how do you get there?

The basilica stands on the main square in the centre of Levoča, in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia, next to the Renaissance town hall. It is a short walk from anywhere in the old town.

What is special about the altar in St James's church?

The high altar made by the workshop of Master Paul between 1507 and 1517 is 18.62 metres tall and is regarded as the tallest wooden altar in the world. Each main figure is carved from a single piece of lime wood.

When was the church built?

Work began in the first quarter of the 14th century, and the three-aisled church was finished around 1400. Later centuries added porches, chapels, altars and the neo-Gothic tower top of the 19th century.

Is the church a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes. Thanks to its treasures, the church is part of the UNESCO site Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments, inscribed in 2009. It is also a Slovak national monument.

Why is it called a basilica?

On 30 November 2015 Pope Francis gave the church the title of basilica minor. The building itself is a Gothic pseudo-basilica with three aisles.

Can you climb the tower of St James's church?

Yes, the tower has been opened to visitors in recent years and offers a view over the historic centre of Levoča. Check the current opening hours before you go.