The church in Plasy with a unique Romanesque portal was officially opened

Plasy – The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Plasy opened to the public on Friday after nearly four years of renovation. This extraordinary, originally Romanesque building is the oldest in the monastery complex. The ceremonial opening of the church, where services are already taking place and which is part of one of the guided tours, was postponed from last September due to the coronavirus pandemic, when the restoration of all five altars was completed.

The renovation of the church cost 70 million crowns, 95 percent of which was covered by EU grants, the rest was provided by the Plzeň Diocese, 1.5 million came from the city, and one million from the region, said Iva Fictumová, project manager of the diocese, to ČTK today. Preparations began in 2016, with the renovation starting two years later.

According to Pastor Günter Ecklbauer, the biggest unique feature is the Romanesque portal above the entrance that has been uncovered and restored after 350 years, dating back to the second half of the 12th century. "The Baroque portal was built into the Romanesque one, which saved the Romanesque portal. This is unique; there are only a few such churches in Europe, as usually, the old portal was lost during reconstruction," he stated. The monumental Romanesque portal was bricked up in 1666 and only rediscovered 16 years ago during facade repairs.

According to Fictumová, the portal ranks among the five most significant in Europe. It is perfectly preserved, only "gnawed" due to the embedding of the Baroque portal. "The tympanum in front is symbolic - it features processional crosses, the tree of life and knowledge, and Marian symbols. Inside, there is a painting that was not expected; there is a labyrinth. It was on the edge whether to leave the Romanesque portal in the Baroque facade or not. The NPÚ established a commission, and many experts expressed their opinions," the manager of the diocese said. The Baroque portal was moved by builders inside the church, and now one enters the northern aisle through its doors.

The large church, built from 1154 to 1204, has been preserved on its original Romanesque floor plan, including one-third of the walls. It was Baroque-ized between 1661 and 1666, during which it received mainly lavish interior furnishings. It is located between the convent and the Center for Construction Heritage of the National Technical Museum. "It is a pure French import. In the Cistercian architecture here, it is unparalleled. It is at least 50 years older than other Romanesque churches like Osek and Velehrad. It is a crystal-clear textbook structure," Chudárek stated. The founders of the monastery invited architects and stonemasons from France to Plasy.

The entire exterior facade of the church and the interiors were reconstructed, mainly the very rare Baroque altars with paintings by Karel Škréta and Petr Brandl; it features new flooring and benches. "Additionally, the level of the terrain was lowered by almost three-quarters of a meter, uncovering the foundations of the side chapel. Now the heritage institute is continuing with another phase of landscaping between the church and the prelature," Fictumová said. Builders discovered woodworm in a bricked-up beam in the wall, which necessitated removing a large piece of the cornice and roofing part of the church.

The windows have a UV protection film to prevent damage to the artworks. Thanks to the renovation, water was diverted from the church, reducing moisture inside the monument. The church has gained new facade colors. It was yellow before the renovation, and now it is red-beige, which should be the colors for the entire complex.

According to the castle administrator Pavel Duchoň, the church underwent such a significant renovation last in the Baroque period. It is expected to boost the number of visitors to the monastery complex, which sees over 30,000 people in normal years. "The church is magnificent, and the prelature and garden are being completed, with only the granary left," said Ivo Kornatovský, the deputy mayor of Plasy, which has 2,800 residents. According to the Bishop of Plzeň, Tomáš Holub, there is exemplary cooperation among the church, the city, the heritage specialists, and the museum in Plasy. "The parish is an integral part of life in the city," Holub said during today's thank you ceremony for all parties involved in the restoration.