St. Catherina's Church is late Gothic temple located in the town in the heart of Slovakia – Banska Stiavnica.

Construction is dated between 1488 and 1491 and the temple was consecrated in 1500. Fifty years later it was promoted to the status of parish church. The year 1491 is stated also as the year when the church was established. Older resources indicate construction began in 1443 or 1444, what corresponds to time, when Banska Stiavnica citizens moved to area of nowadays town after the old town was destroyed. From 1580 to 1675 during the period of the Reformation, it belonged to the Lutheran church and in 1658, when mass began to be preached in the Slovak language, that’s why it is called "the slovak church“.

Wealthy families of mining enterpreneurs, owners of the houses located on the main St. Trinity Square were the most probable investors of St. Catherinas' church.

The church is located on the quite steep slope of the brink on the lower part of St. Trinity Square on intersection of the main communication axes of Banska Stiavnica. It is North-West – South-East oriented. It has a dominant location directly in the city center, on the crossroad of two most significant middleages communications - nowadays St.Trinity Square and Andrej Kmet street.

The church is a late Gothic single nave space. Polygonal chapel is merging with the aisle and the western chorus. Characteristic late Gothic buttress pillars incorporated inside the composition. Between these pillars, on the northern side of the nave, are embeded three Gothic chapels. From the main space, next to the presbytery, exite the sacristy. Storeyed space in the South-Western corner of the nave was in lower part used also as a chapel, upstairs it extends chorus itself, allowing access directly from outside. It has barrel vaults ended with lunettes. Beneath the church, there is a crypt, where majors and important burgesses where burried. An original entrance portal is located on the western facade of the church. In the upper corners are figural cantilevers. Above the portal is painted town blazon with the year 1555 (when the church was turned into parish). In the last quarter of the 18th century the Baroque chapel of St. John of Nepomucene was added to the church. Its pastel violet color sets the chapel off like a little jewel against the monumental grey walls of the church.

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  Floor plan of St. Catherina's Church
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  Section of St. Catherina's Church

The nave is full covered by the star-shaped net vault. These grid vaults extend to figural cantilevers in the main space. It is very similar to the nave vault of St. Cross church in Kezmarok. Due to this similarity and similarity of interior figural decoration is anticipated, that the same masons worked on the both churches. Side chapels are opened into the nave by pointed archs and are vaulted by mainly net star-shaped grid vaults.

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  Net vault of St. Catherina's Church
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  Net vault of St. Catherina's Church
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  Grid vaults of St. Catherina's Church

Many interior components indicate high level of skilled masons and carpenters. Worked out fine details of portals, figural cantilevers and especially rich decorated baptistery. In the main frontage, there are three high windows filled with stained glass. The lower part is aligned with half 3-pointed leaf tracery. Windows in chapels are filled with tracerys with colourful stained glass. Lower part is separated into 4 sections filled with stained glass with Christian scenes. Merging with the upper part of the window, we can see 3-pointed half leafed tracery. In the middle there is 4-pointed leaf tracery with flame tracerys by the sides. Some parts of the windows are dated to the year 1894 and colourful stained glass from the chapels from the year 1907.

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  Side chapels of St. Catherina's Church
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  Windows of St. Catherina's Church

The present-day facades have been reconstructed according to their original appearance. From exterior, the church has clearly recognizable late Gothic elements. Bearing system stand out from the nave by 6 bear retreat pillars on each side. Between these pillars has been built single chapels. Facades are partly made from stone and partly covered with plaster. The roof was covered with copper sheet in the year 1656.

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  Front facade of St. Catherina's Church
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  Back side of St. Catherina's Church
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  Exterior of St. Catherina's Church

From the original Gothic inventory maintained valuable rich decorated stone baptistery from 16th century and cross from 15th century. The statue of Mary, very valuable wooden statue from the year 1506, comes from the original mail altar, have been preserved until today. Dating from the beginning of the 16th century, wall painting depicting the Last Judgement located on the South wall of the sanctuary is being restored. It is the largest of its type in Slovakia. The church's original furnishing has changed in the 18th century. From the seven Baroque altars installed at that time, preserved the main, columned altar of St. Catherine from the year 1727 (and restored in 1887). Along with the altar, also the painting of St. Catherine's betrothal with Christ has been preserved until today, which is attributed to the painter J.G. Grossmayr. The altar paintings were originally changed according to the liturgic periods of the year. By the side cantilevers we can find statues of St. Barbara and St. Margita.