Church of All Saints
   Photo: Church of All Saints

All Saints Church - one of the valuable examples of baroque churches crazy, owned by the Roman Catholic concession. Included in the ensemble of the novitiate (a place for novices) and the Carmelite monastery in the old town.

Church was built together with the monastery for 11 years from 1620 on 1631 near the gate Rudnicki. During hostilities with Moscow temple burned and renovation in 1655 has been substantially rebuilt. Later, in 1743, around the northeast corner, in place turrets, it was built in the complex-shaped bell tower Thiele late Baroque. In 1812, the church has suffered considerable damage Napoleonic soldiers Having burnt confessionals and pews. The French gave in the church hospital. Renovated and upgraded the church was in 1823.

The Russian authorities have abolished the monastery, and in 1885 in the premises of the monastery staged a lovely apartment, but from 1948 the church was closed and, having arranged therein grocery warehouse.

From 1967 to 1975 the temple restoration work carried out under the supervision of Aldona Shvabauskene. After the restoration of the temple acted as the Museum of Lithuanian folk art. The restitution of the church was carried out immediately after the change of regime in 1990, the church was returned to believers and operates to this day.

The floor plan of the church has the shape of a Latin cross, in the form of the temple - a three-nave basilica type. The peculiarity of the space inside the church is that the aisles are formed by the side chapels of the church. Aisles 3-fold and 2-fold already below the central, separated from it by two pairs of pylons on each side. The arches of the nave - cylindrical with lunettes.

The main facade has a form of early Baroque architecture, the facade is divided into two tiers eaves, pilasters emphasize its vertical axis. Crowned facade gable triangular with vysyaschimisya on the sides of the obelisk. Portal in the Renaissance style emphasizes the central axis of the building. In the niches previously installed statues of the founders of the Carmelite monks - St. Elias and St. Elisha, made of wood.

The monumental four-tiered bell tower, expanding downward ends helmet and filigree cross. The pilasters of the lower tier, decorated with rusticated, making a vivid contrast with built-in corners of columns. Corinthian pilasters of the second tier are decorated with stucco motif. In the third tier located obliquely lateral pilasters flank the column. In the latter, the fourth tier of the pilasters as if growing out of volutes.

The windows have a different niche belfry arch shape and decorated with stucco, and in the fourth tier of the niche still fenced decorative lattice balconies. It is assumed that the bell tower built the same architect that built the tower of the Carmelite church in Belarus.

The walls and arches of the church naves, dome side chapels are decorated with frescoes and ornaments, the frescoes depict scenes from the life of saints and the history of Lithuania. Decorative moldings decorating the interior of the church is made in the late 18th century. 18 The church altar decorated with statues of saints, and frescoes depicting the stories of their lives. The main altar was built probably in the late 1780s, designed by Martin Kanfusa.

During the restoration work carried out in 1902 on the initiative of the priest Chudovsky, murals were painted over, so far opened only a small part of them.

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