Description

Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Christ in Kaišiadorys

The beginning of the construction of Kaišiadoriai Church was complicated. Though the first design was drawn up as far back as the beginning of the century, it is though that only the foundations were built then. Several other designs were not implemented either; for example, the First World War impeded the realisation of the drawings made by one of the most productive designers of neo-gothic churches Vaclovas Michnevičius. During the inter-war period the church was built according to the design made by Alfredas Aleksandravičius incorporating its already completed parts; the construction was finished and the church was consecrated in 1932 as a sanctuary having the status of a cathedral already.

The history of the construction of the church determined its somewhat unusual appearance: the uncharacteristically narrow, octagonal top crowned with the “crown” of the pediments rises over the monumental part of the tower of a rectangular plan surrounded by massive abutments. Corner risalitas of the façade in the side parts of the building develop into smaller turrets. A rather customary rhythm of two-stair abutments and lancets is seen in the side facades. A much rarer solution is one-storied buildings of the chapels annexed to them. When looking at the main volume of the Church one can notice that the lower part of the sanctuary is built of yellow bricks. These are parts of the Church that Michnevičius managed to build before the beginning of the war; they are best seen in the front façade, the sacristies and the three-wall apse of the Church.

The inside of the building of pseudo-basilica type is eclectic and non-contemporaneous. For example, the confessionals that have distinctive neo-gothic features are the product of our times. Meantime features of more than one style intertwine in the confessional, the altars and various elements of the décor, which is characteristic of late historicism. Since the number of cathedrals in Lithuania is rather small, it is worth drawing attention to the element characteristic namely of these buildings – the throne of the bishop whose complex is noted for especially complicated and thorough wood carving.

Detail