Blue Church or St. Elisabeth church



I always loved churches, even in the past when i was not a big believer. I loved to visit churches and monasteries, admire, make pictures, learn about the history and icons and saints.
When i came o Bratislava and took a long walk in the city for the first time 8 years ago it was the Good Friday and my future husband took me to a tour of the Churches in the center. As we walked from church to church, Viktor took my hand and told me that he will make a surprise, show me a church that i will really really love. Between the blocks of flats, bars, shops, pubs and restaurants i found then a real pearl: The Blue Church. Nothing prepared me for the beauty, simpleness and charm of this very small church: the simple cylinder tower, the bright blue color of the church walls that reminded me of spring skyes, the colorful images. For a second it took me back to my childhood and the gingerbread houses from the story books i used to read.I looked at Viktor and smiled: "you saved the best for last".
View of the Church between buildings

The little church is the middle of the Olt Town in Bratislava near a beautiful highschool which is build in the same style as the church. After a fast search on the internet i found out the style is called secessionis or Art Nouveau. Also i found out that the church was build as a chapel for the highschool and it actually served that purpose for a period of time.

The Blue Church is deidcated to St. Elisabeth and a brightly colored picture of her is above the main entrance door to the church. The wooden has on each side a beautiful pillar and an arch above it. The picture aboce the door shows two poor people asking alms from St. Elisabeth ad the saint with roses in her mantle. If you search for the story of St. Elisabeth you will understand the significance of the roses. The saint used to give alms to the poor, however her rich husband did not agree with this. One day when she left her home with food under her mantle for he poor she met her husband and he asked her what she is carrying. When opening her mantle there were roses there instead of the food. It is a very touching story and the wonderfully colored picture express it well.
 Facade and main entrance to the church
 The picure of St. Elisabeth with roses

Second entrance to the church

The bell tower has a cylindrical form, a watch in the middle under the bell and a small blue cross on top. The roof is covered with blue decorated  tiles. All around the church the walls are painted in bright blue and white in wonderfull shpaes and geometrical forms.

Cylindrical tower

Wall and blue and white decorations


Blue and white
View of the church
In front of the church there is tiny monument dedicated to all the unborn children who died before birth.
Monument to the unborn
I have never found the church opened. The door is always opened but a door with bars stops you from entering.You can only look inside of the church and make pictures only from the front door. The inside of the church is small and beautifully decorated. The pews arecolored in bright blue and on every bench there are drawn the symbol of the rose, the symbol of  St. Elisabeth. The walls inside are also in the blue and white colors. The altar i small but richly decorated and the picture abote the altar represents St. Elisabeth giving alms to the poor.

Inside of the church

Inside of the church


Inside of the church


Altar
 
Near the church there is the pastoral center which is decorated in the same art nouveau style and painted in the same blue and ehite colors like the church and it is surrounded by abeautiful garden with trees, flowers and statues.

Pastoral center

Garden




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