The symbol of the town's history is its oldest monument of the Romanesque Rotunda of St. George. It stands on an important historical site, near the original Early-Medieval castle, where the Calvary was built in 1823. The development of the rotunda reflected the major historical milestones that shaped the city. The original Romanesque building was flat-roofed, much lower than it is today. The period of promotion to a free royal city was also a time of extensive reconstruction of the rotunda, which was incorporated as a watchtower into the city fortifications. The building was raised by one floor, while the lower one served for sacral purposes. Traces of prosperity and the greatest development of the city in the Baroque period were also reflected in the rotunda. The dome was replaced with a skylight turret, the entrance portal was enlarged, the windows were replaced and a crypt was built. Rare mural paintings in the rotunda, dating from the late 15th century, are also very scarce. They depict two scenes from the legend of St. George, the saint patron of the building, and are complemented by the coats of arms of the town of Skalica and the Zápolya House. In the interior there is an exposition, which provides closer access to the history of a scarce and unique monument. Source: http://www.tikskalica.sk/evt_file.php?file=1283 Contact information:Address: Potočná street no. 209, 909 01, SkalicaTelephone: +421 34,664 53 41e-mail: tik@mesto.skalica.skWeb: http://www.tikskalica.sk
The history of the Jesuit church dates back to 1693, when the foundation stone was laid not only for the church but also for schools and colleges. The construction took almost thirty years. It is consecrated to Francis Xavier. The Jesuits founded a high school in Skalica. For a large number of religious and students it was promoted to college. In 1724 the church was hit by a fire. Fifty years later, the Jesuits left the town and the church was taken over by the Paulines for a short time. In the past, there were originally eight altars in the church. However, only the main altar with the painting, on which Francis Xavier together with the statues of St. Peter and St. Paul are depicted has been preserved. The image of the patron is one of the largest paintings in Slovakia with dimensions of 3.5x6.5 meters. It dates back to the mid-18th century and the author of the painting is unknown. The church deteriorated for a long time and many parts of the interior were taken to other churches. Only the above-mentioned main altar, a fresco in the side Chapel of Our Lady, has been preserved. The church underwent a complete reconstruction in 2011, which was also the most extensive reconstruction in the history of Skalica. The exterior as well as the interior of the church were renovated. A ceremonial opening of the reconstructed church took place on 27 November 2011. This day begins the next stage of the church as a cultural and social centre in Skalica. The church has a unique acoustics, which is, at the same time, the best acoustics in Central Europe. The Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic even awarded the church the Cultural Heritage of the Year 2011 award. The church belongs to the property of the town and is not used for worship purposes. Source: http://www.regionzahorie.sk/jezuitsky-kostol-skalica-akustika Contact information:Address: Škarniclovská street no. 100/1, 909 01 SkalicaTelephone: +421 34,664 53 41e-mail: tik@mesto.skalica.skWeb: http://www.tikskalica.sk