The Church of the Visitation of Mary (Text: Karla Kofol, Tolmin Museum)
The Church of the Visitation of Mary in the village of Ponikve on the Šentviška Plateau, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, was burnt down and almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. When the locals wanted to rebuild it after the war, they encountered numerous obstacles. Thanks to the persistent efforts of the then parish priest Janez Lapanja, who requested the renowned architect Jože Plečnik to design the plans, renovation finally began in 1954. The main works, performed mostly voluntarily by the inhabitants, were completed in 1958, and the former Baroque church was completely transformed through this renovation. Plečnik moved the entrance from beneath the large bell tower to the site of the former presbytery, changed the orientation of the roof ridge, and gave the interior a unique, exciting, and dynamic appearance.
Although experts do not rank the Church of the Visitation in Ponikve among Plečnik's most important works, it is nevertheless well worth a visit. It never leaves a visitor indifferent. From its location, a beautiful view opens up over numerous hills above the valleys of the Soča, Idrijca, and Bača. On the 50th anniversary of the architect’s death, the Tolmin Museum arranged a small exhibition in the church, in the space above the former sacristy, about the history and renovation of the church. Old photographs clearly show the former Baroque-style church, and various documents are displayed testifying to the arduous path Priest Lapanja had to endure before he could begin the renovation. Copies of implemented and unimplemented plans for the church renovation and interior equipment by Plečnik and his assistants are also on display.
HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE AND THE CHURCH
The Šentviška Plateau was inhabited as early as prehistoric times and was first mentioned in written sources in 1192. In the 15th century, a Gothic-style church already stood on the hill above Ponikve. Its builder was the renowned master Andrej of Loka. In 1741, the faithful from Ponikve received permission to demolish the old Church of St. Nicholas and transfer its equipment to the renovated Church of Mary.
THE CHURCH BEFORE WORLD WAR II
Until the fire in 1944, the church had a Baroque appearance. On the parish feast day of July 2, 1944, the church was caught in a fire set by German soldiers. It completely destroyed the new roof and most of the interior equipment. Locals managed to save only the wooden statue of Mary, the stone statue of St. Joseph, and a large part of the Holy Sepulchre. In March 1945, the Germans placed a mine under the bell tower, which finally collapsed the vault of the nave.
THE DECISION TO REBUILD AND PLEČNIK'S VISIT
In September 1951, Priest Janez Lapanja took over the parish and visited architect Plečnik in Ljubljana. Despite the proposed radical changes, the locals accepted the challenge. After numerous complications, a building permit was finally issued in 1954. In December 1955, Plečnik visited the renovation in person for the first and only time. The most significant change was the reorientation of the church—he moved the entrance toward the village and placed the roof ridge transverse to the center of the building.
CONSECRATION AND POST-WAR COMPLICATIONS
The church was consecrated on October 19, 1958. Shortly after, the tax authorities taxed all the voluntary work performed by the locals over the four years of renovation. Priest Lapanja was sentenced to a fine, which he paid using an inheritance. Today, the church is considered Plečnik’s greatest work in the Primorska region, where the master, despite illness and old age, managed to give the building a unique and recognizable character, adapting it to the tradition of local Mediterranean-Alpine architecture.
Text: Karla Kofol, Tolmin Museum