Cathedral

Sacred ground for 800 years.

Before you start walking inside or to the top of the cathedral, spend a few minutes around it. As you will quickly notice the cathedral was built through centuries.

It was built in the early 12th century as a Romanesque building. Today it shows a Gothic style with a long chancel dating from the 14th century and a central church nave from the 15th century. The 57 metre high classicist designed bell tower dates back to the end of the 18th century as the primarily 76-metre high bell tower built by Pavel Porta in the year 1623 was struck by lightening. The construction of the cathedral and its further development brought Maribor additional cultural impetus and enforcement.

The long chancel or presbytery is completed with choir benches dating from 1771, on which there are shallow, gilded relief images of scenes from the life of St John the Baptist created by carver Jožef Holzinger.

Cemetery around the cathedral

Around the cathedral was a cemetery which is typical of central European medieval towns. Therefore you can still find monumental stones in the northern wall of cathedral. At the north-western corner you can see ethernal light column (from 16th century) that remained there as the cemetery has been moved out of town in 1783.

Importance for christianity

Cathedral is named after Anton Martin Slomšek who was blessed by pope John Paul II in 1999. You can learn more about him in the related text. On the 4th September 1859 Slomšek transferred the seat of the Lavantine diocese to Maribor.

In the presbytery are also the Bishop's Chair dating from 1890 and the vaulted tomb of Maribor's bishops. Carver Jožef Holzinger in the Baroque period built the chapel of the Holy Cross, furnished with an altar. The tomb of bishop Slomšek was placed in this altar in 1996.

As a true servant of god, Slomšek influenced many christian people in Slovenia and globally. The church is thus very popular and considered as important sacred ground.