Szőcs Péter Levente (szerk.): Arhitectura ecleziastică din Satu Mare (Satu Mare, 2008)
Carei - Nagykároly
zett volutákon négy-négy kőszobor, míg a torony harmadik szintje fölött az alapító Károlyi család monumentális címere kapott helyet. A hajót a templomok esetében ritkán alkalmazott manzárd tető fedi. (TSz). Cáréi. The Roman Catholic Church of “St. Joseph Calasanctius” The medieval parish church of Carei was dedicated to the All Saints during the Middle Ages. It was used by the Calvinist community in the 16th century, until 1723, when it was given to the Catholics by Sándor Károlyi (1668— 1743). In compensation, the Count built a new church for the Calvinists, at the border of the town. Sándor Károlyi invited to serve in the church the Piarist Order, and he built a monastery and a school, which started to function in 1727. A drawing from the 18th century shows that the church kept its medieval structure at that time, in resemblance with other known edifices of the 15th century in the region: polygonal sanctuary, buttresses, and a tower on the western faţade. At that time, the tower had a Baroque steeple, shaped like an onion dome. A new church was built by Antal Károlyi (1732-1791) in Baroque style, in order to express his gratitude for the birth of his son, Joseph. The construction work started in 1769 and lasted until 1791. The project was made by the architect of the Károlyi family: Joseph Bitthauser. In the História Domus, the name of Franz Siebel is also mentioned, in connection to the construction works. The church is one of the most representative Baroque buildings of this region. The nave has a rectangular ground plan, with rounded corners, enlarged with a smaller semicircular sanctuary, and a similar porch. There are sacristies on the both sides of the sanctuary with oratories on the upper level. In the porch a gallery was built for the organ, with composed capitals and curved parapet. The tower has two small side porches and staircases. The interior is monumental, the space is lighted and it is organized with the combination of the longitudinal and central arrangement. The walls are divided with pilasters, and niches are opened for eight side altars. Six of the side altar-paintings are of high quality, made by the Viennese master Johann Ignatz Cymbal in Baroque style. They represent: St. Andrew Avellino, St. Joseph, St. Anthony of Padua, St. John Nepomuk, Holy Trinity, Holy Virgin of Hungary, and the three St. Kings of Hungary. The spherical vault of the nave is decorated with stuccoes. The main altar is built of gray marble with pilasters from rose-marble with delicate veining, and composed capitals. The whole construction is dominated by the altar painting, which represents the patron saint of the church, St. Joseph of Calasanctius, 43
