During the Second World War, the ancient church in Šmartno in the Tuhinj Valley was heavily damaged. A design for its renovation was made by Jože Plečnik and his collaborators.
Of the once mighty Baroque building, based on a central floor plan, covered with a dome—which was the work of the famous architect, Gregor Maček, from 1734, and was decorated with the paintings of Valentin Metzinger—only the south walls remained, with a vestry and a western part, with a choir loft and a belfry. The old church stood at the location of a present memorial park. After suffering this damage during the Second World War, Jože Plečnik made the designs for the renovation of a church, together with Anton Bitenc. He advised the installation of two posts to support a belfry. This work was accomplished, but despite that, the damaged church with its belfry was lately demolished. New designs were made for the construction of a new church. This church would be placed on the spot of the old one, and the remains of the walls were to be included in the new church.
Due to complications, the procedure for the acquisition of a construction licence dragged on, and the designs were not approved. The construction of a new church was allowed only in 1958, a year after Plečnik’s death. The present church stands on the spot of former outbuildings. It is a work of Anton Suhadolc, Plečnik’s student and collaborator.
Some of the architectural elements of the church recall Plečnik’s style. The floor is made like the floor in the church of St. Benedict in Stranje, with boiled wooden cubes cast into the concrete. The wooden coffered ceiling with lamps, and the main altar with a motif which symbolizes prison walls, are reminiscent of Plečnik’s style. Columns, which appear Doric, were installed in the belfry.
Sources:
Jože Grošelj: How the churches were demolished. Souvenirs on Šmartno in Tuhinj, 17th and 18th October 1955. Weekly Družina, 17th October 2010.
Jože Plečnik and Anton Bitenc: Technical report on renovation of parish church in Šmartno in Tuhinj Valley. Ljubljana, January 1952.
The archives of parish church office in Šmartno in Tuhinj valley.
Information Courtesy of:
Avguštin Klobčar, spiritual assistant in the parish Šmartno in 2007.
