The 13th-century, two-story building may have been a bishop's or royal or queen's private chapel, which survived the Turkish era, and was saved from demolition in the 18th century by its particularly valuable frescoes.
Gothic wall paintings were found in the Gizella chapel built in the 13th century during the restoration of the castle quarter in Veszprém. Among them, one of the most significant is a detail of a late Gothic painting in the pediment above the sacristy door, which depicts the coat of arms of the Veszprém bishop Albert Vetési, according to the announcement sent to MTI.
It is recalled that Albert Vetési, a diplomat of King Matthias, was one of the most influential lords of the 15th century, who richly painted the liturgical spaces of the Veszprém castle hill.
As it is written, only one wall of the once richly decorated upper chapel remains, the carvings and painted parts of which have been destroyed by exposure to the weather for a long time. They were covered with a thick, gray layer of plaster, so the restorers carefully and delicately uncovered the lower layers.
The 13th-century, two-story building may have been a bishop's or royal or queen's private chapel, which survived the Turkish era, and was saved from demolition in the 18th century by its particularly valuable frescoes.
The Byzantine-influenced frescoes depicting apostles on the northern wall of the lower chapel are the same age as the building, i.e. more than 800 years old.
In the announcement, they remind that the digitalization program of the museum of the Veszprém Archdiocese was launched last November, in the framework of which the carved stones of the medieval buildings in the Veszprém castle quarter are scanned. The purpose of the method used in several museums around the world, including the Louvre, is primarily for archiving, but it also helps them to digitally model the former spaces of medieval buildings. Among other things, the dragon figures of the pillar capitals of the triumphal arch on the floor of the Gizella chapel were immortalized with 3D photography. The dragons hiding between the stone leaves can hardly be seen on the once magnificent stone carving, now with a heavily destroyed surface, but the current state of the 13th century carvings will be preserved digitally, and copies have also been made with 3D printing. Visitors to the Work in Progress (WIP) program series in Veszprém Castle can thus get to know the 800-year-old works up close.
The two-story palace chapel will be renovated next summer, and not only the lower level will be opened to visitors, but also the previously almost completely unknown upstairs part on festive occasions.
According to the intention of the Archdiocese of Veszprém, the relic of our first queen, the consort of King St. István, will also be transferred to the chapel from the cathedral - the announcement concludes.
MTI
Cover image: The Gizella chapel in the castle quarter of Veszprém Source: Salt.hu
