11.09.2014 - 12.09.2014

Temple - eternal sacred

TEMPLE – THE ETERNAL SACRED?

Temples in its definition are buildings used as a place of worship, created as a sacred area, where nothing is made at random – every religion develops a distinctive set of rituals, requiring specific space. Deity deserves what is most beautiful and precious. No matter whether a religion allows figurative representation or not, no effort has ever been spared to express religious attachment to deities, saints, dogma in the form of various artworks. Architects arranged sacred space to arouse in believers appropriate emotions and associations. Therefore, after the conquest of new lands, conquerors desecrated temples, plundering and destroying them, or taking them over and adapting to the needs of their own religion.

CHURCH OF STS. JOHN IN GDANSK

St. John’s Church in Gdansk stands out among other churches in Gdańsk. Despite its great historical value it hadn’t been included in the city reconstruction plan after WW II. Most of its movable monuments were transferred to St. Mary’s Church, while at St. John’s only safety works were carried out. The edifice was gradually deteriorating, serving as a repository and sometimes as location for war movies. The Protestant Community relinquished its rights to the church in 1960, but the temple was ceded to the Roman Catholic Curia in Gdansk only in 1991. Three years later the Archdiocese decided to lease the temple to the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre for reconstruction and adaptation to a cultural centre, with the maintenance of the sacred functions. Thanks to this decision Gdańsk acquired one of its most modern and interesting spaces, a venue of cultural events such as concerts, exhibitions, performances, conferences and symposia.

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