Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 2001 szám Az Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség tájékoztatója (Budapest, 2001)
TANULMÁNY - Balázsik Tamás: A túronyi református templom
Tamás BALÁZSIK THE CALVINIST CHURCH OF TÚRONY The earliest form of the Calvinist church originating from the early middle ages in Túrony is a typical example of the group of village churches. The single-naved church with a semicircular choir is peculiarly characterised by the cases made of a pair of planks sunk into the window-frames of the southern façade and the plaster mixed with glume. The church was widened in western direction with a part lit by two pairs of windows on its southern and western façade, with diagonal buttresses at its corners in the course of the 13 th century. At the turn of the 14 th century a chapel with a semicircular choir was built in front of the southern gate. The most important architectural change was made when the early medieval choir was replaced with a gothic polygonal one with a rare structure of segmental vaults with straight springing line. Th choir is opening with a large triumphal arch to the nave almost similarly wide. It is a characteristic of the choir that on the southern side opposite to the tabernacle there is an unusually large-size sedile, on the three eastern polygons niches were formed presumably for the replacing of relics - according to the parallels of Germans territories. The building of the choir may be connected with the indulgence of Pope John XXIII given to the church in 1414. It was later decorated with murals and a large-size sacristy was added to its side, which - according to the altar-base found in it - was also used as a chapel. As a result of the Ottoman rule the village had a double taxation and the church got in the possession of the Calvinists who decorated the walls again. Following the destruction of the village by the Serbs in 1706 the inhabitants left it and returned only in 1726. The church was reconstructed but it was re-furnished only later. Its former cassette ceiling was finished in 1744, the pulpit and seats in 1758. The old windows were walled up and newer were opened. The tower was built in 1827. The present furniture was made in the first half of the 19 th century and in 1880 an eastern gallery was erected. At the 1913 reconstruction the painted ceiling from 1744 was pulled down. The painted planks seen in the lower part of the western gallery are most probably of 18 th century origin. As a result of its characteristics the church of Túrony is an important monument. Its values are not only the unique architectural characteristics shown as a result of the 2000 year's investigation but because of the parts of aesthetic value the medieval characteristics of the church can be preserved without adding new elements.
