Basilica of St. James, Levoča

The Basilica of St. James (Slovak: Bazilika svätého Jakuba) is a Gothic church in Levoča, Prešovský kraj, Slovakia. Building began in the 14th century. It is a Catholic parish church, dedicated to James the Apostle. The interior features several Gothic altars, including as the main altar the world's tallest wooden altar at 18.62 metres (61.1 ft) by the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča, completed in 1517. The church, the second largest in Slovakia, also houses well-preserved furniture and art work. The steeple dates from the 19th century. The church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments in 2009. It is also a Slovak National Monument. In 2015, Pope Francis declared the church a basilica minor.

Building of the Gothic church began in the centre of Levoča, then in the Kingdom of Hungary, in the 14th century. The church dominates the main square of the historic town, together with a Renaissance town hall. It is a Catholic church, dedicated to James the Apostle. The interior features several Gothic altars, including as the main altar the world's tallest wooden altar at 18.62 metres (61.1 ft). It was created by the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča and completed in 1517. The church, the second largest in Slovakia, also houses precious furniture and art work, such as works of the jeweler János Szillassy. During the Reformation, the church was Protestant from 1544. An organ was built from 1622. The church tower was also used as a watchtower by the town, to give the alert to any incipient fires. The medieval tower was itself damaged by lightning in the early nineteenth century, and was replaced by a neo-Gothic tower (probably the first in this style in what is now Slovakia) designed by Fridrich Muck and constructed in 1852–1870, which is 70 meters high. Of the original tower bells, one was relocated in the bell tower of the Town Hall; the others were melted down during World War I and were replaced in 1925. Since 2016 the tower, which gives a view across the town's historical centre, has been opened to visitors. Thanks to its treasures, the church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Lev

Church data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).