The Piarist Monastery and the Church of St. Francis Xavier

It was originally a Jesuitical monastic complex. They started building it in 1653 and it was consecrated in 1657.

The church was built in the Baroque style, it has side chapels and a tribune. It reminds the churches like St. Michael´s in Munich and St. Francis Xavier´s in Vienna. Inside the church you can find Baroque sculptures of St. Peter and St. Paul. The decorations are based on the legend of St. Francis Xavier. The interior was decorated by Krištof Tausch , a disciple of Andreo del Pozzo. Highly appreciated is the Baroque fresco created around 1713. The monastery was built at the same time as the church. It was renovated after the fire 1708.

In 1776 the church and the monastery became the property of the Piarists. Today M.A. Bazovský Gallery is situated in the monastery. Bazovský belongs to the generation of the founders of modern Slovak painting. Well-Known are his balladic expressive works. In 1991 the monastery became the property of the Order again. The gallery is still there in rented premises.


The former Jesuitical, later Piarist, Baroque chuch of St. Francis Xavier, 1653 - 1657