CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION CERKLJE
Parish Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption is the largest church in the municipality of Cerklje. It is located in the dominant in the heart of the village, where, according to historians, the first church stood in the 9th century. In the early 13th century, when beside Mary’s church stood two smaller churches, St. Tomaž and St. Mihael. The least one was probably destroyed by the earthquake in 1511, which highly affected Cerklje. The Thomas’ chapel was pulled down together with the old Maria’s church. During the Turkish invasions the churches were strengthened by walls with four towers. The walls were pulled down in the middle of 19th century.
The Cerklje’s parish church (1714) proves the undeniable similarity with Ljubljana’s cathedral, but without the dome. Baroque architecture of the hall-type indoor walls has its walls in the nave chapels deepened/lowered with shallow chapels, above them are low empors. The main altar of this church is one of the richest late baroque creations in Gorenjska. The author is unknown, the plastic was made by a master who was inspired by Francesco Robbo. The workshop variant of the throne of the main altar is Leopold Layer’s picture Maria’s Assumption. Layer’s work is also St. Uršula and St. Notburg in the rear side altars. Stations of the Cross and the picture of angel Mihael in the rear right side altar are the work of the native Ivan Franket. Frescoes on the domes of the presbytery and nave are the work of Matija Koželj.
