Huszár Zoltán (szerk.): Kereszténység és államiság Baranyában (Pécs, 2000)
Valter Ilona: A magyar keresztény államiság építészeti emlékei a Dél-Dunántúlon - Zala, Somogy, Tolna megyében
Ilona Walter A^ChiJECTUHAl REMAINS Of }ltE hüNCApN CkljiSjiAN SJAJE ÍN SOUjkEp JÍ^ANSDANUBlA (COUNTY ZALA, SOMOGY, joLna) Summary In a territory of hills and mountains intersected by valleys, spreading from the Zala Valley to the Danube, lies Southern Transdanubia, comprising the counties of Zala, Somogy, Tolna and Baranya. According to a document dated 1009, Kolon (later Zala) County belonged to the Bishopric of Veszprém, excepting the southern section which from 1092 was created the Bekcsény archdeaconry of the Bishopric of Zagreb. From 1002 to 1240 Somogy County was the property of the Abbey of Pannonhalma. After 1240 the archdeaconry of Somogy, Zala and Segesd appears on documents. Tolna County emerged from the northern section of the territory belonging to the Bishopric of Pécs, and from 1217 there is documentation of the Archdeaconry of Tolna and Regöly. It was the bailiff of the county and the priest accompanying him - the presbyter - who organized the building of village churches. ABBEYS The first monastic churches from this period were founded by kings. One of these was the Benedictine Abbey at Zalavár, now a ruin, founded by King Saint Stephen in 1019. King Béla I founded a Benedictine Abbey at Szekszárd in 1061. The foundations have been discovered through archaeological excavation, and one or two valuable pieces of carved stone have survived. In keeping with the Byzantine character of the ground plan, the carvings are of south-east European and Italian Byzantine style. The Benedictine abbey at Kapuvár, seat of the Steward in the county of Somogy, affiliated to the southern French Benedictine monastery of Saint-Gilles, was founded by King Saint László in 1091. After 18 years of methodical archaeological excavation we have been able to identify the ground plan and archaeological period of the church and cloisters. Carved stones indicate a number of periods. Today the restored ruins are open to the public. BÁTASZÉK - THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY AT CIKÁDOR King Géza II founded the first Cistercian Abbey in 1142. The Abbey, burnt to the ground at the time of the incursions of the Tartars, was rebuilt in 1347. After 1529 it was used for 150 years as a Turkish fortress. Its remains were used to construct a baroque church at the beginning of the 18th century. Between 1994 and 1996 excavations uncovered the ground plan of the brick Latin cross-shaped church with its three naves, transept and straight chancel. Secular nobility began to patronize the building of churches in the 11th century. PRIVATE CHURCHES and PRIVATE MONASTERIES were built along the lines of Eigenkirche in Germany. The earliest-known private monastery is that at Kaposszentjakab, which was founded by Steward Ottó of Győr. Archaeological work has revealed a unique Byzantine ground plan and carved stonework analogous with that found in Byzantine territories and with the carved stones of Szekszárd. By the 12th century the private churches had transmuted into PATRONISED CHURCHES, and it was in this way that the KINDRED CHURCHES came into being. One of the earliest of these was that founded by the Kadar kindred in around 1150 at Kapornak. This basilica had three naves but no transept, with twin towers at the western end resting on a pair of internal pillars and a gallery. Much of the 12th-century structure has survived. In Madócsa, the Bikács kindred founded a Benedictine Abbey in honour of St. Michael. Of the twin towers at the west end one has survived, onto which was built the present late baroque church, in 1806. Dénes of Tűrje founded the old Tűrje premonstratensian archdeaconry some time before 1234. This is one of our most perfectly preserved of churches predating the thirteenth century, though the chancel was altered in the new baroque period. The three naves with their original vaults and the two slender towers at the west end forming a gallery inside have all survived. The uncovering of the fescos depicting the legend of Saint László is in progress. VILLAGE CHURCHES OF THE 12th CENTURY Our knowledge of village churches dating from the end of the 11 th century has increased significantly. The church at Cikó-Máriaszéplak, as became clear from the
