Perhaps the most impressive part of the Baroque castle in Keiko Castle’s courtyard is St. Anne’s Chapel. The castle church was built by the Palasa family who lived here. The sacred place is the jewel of the castle, which houses the Museum of Puppet Culture and Games.
Balassa’s family name fused with Kiko. The family has lived in the town of just under 1,600 people for more than 600 years. The Palasa family also built a Baroque castle adjacent to the Gothic castle.
St. Anne’s Chapel II. It was built in the middle of the eighteenth century by Count Palasa Pal Apostoli. The castle chapel was consecrated in August 1759 by Bishop Antal Revai.
Masses were held there regularly until the end of the nineteenth century. Nowadays, the majestic church hosts many sacred events and ceremonies. As a faithful guardian of the Christian faith, Pal-Balasa is also a dreamer of Calvary towering over the ruins of the castle and the church.
Saint Anne was a patroness of the Plasa family. It is therefore not surprising that he is depicted in the central altar of the church. Unfortunately, the original altar has not survived to this day. In 2009, in honor of the church’s 250th anniversary, a painting of St. Anna by painter Darina Gadisova was unveiled in the precincts of the sanctuary.
The stone baptismal font in front of the sanctuary is worth mentioning, which is believed to be the oldest intact element of the castle.
The decoration of the church shows the typical features of the Baroque style. In addition to the main altar, there is a side altar on either side of the church. Portraits of the Apostle Saint Peter and Saint Paul can also be seen on the walls. Through the window above the altar on the right, it was possible to take part in the ceremonies from the living area of the baroque castle.
It has undergone a major renovation in recent years. The sanctuary was beautified as part of the complete Baroque castle renovation. The works took place between 2019 and 2023. At the opening of the summer season, the general public can see the chapel for the first time.
The choir above the gate, which can also be visited, will also be renovated. Valuable finds were also made during the renovation work. A rare Marizalli pendant was found underground, which probably dates from the second half of the eighteenth century. The medallion shows a part of the year, in which only the numbers 17 … 1 can be read. A copy of the medallion can now be seen in the museum’s exhibits.
Other valuable relics and sacred relics can be seen in the church. The relics of St. Anna can be seen in an ornate Baroque nave on the altar table. In the sacristy of the church, crucifixes and baroque statues of Kiko’s sleeve were placed.
During the summer season, the Keiko Museum welcomes visitors every day of the week from 9 am to 6 pm. While visiting the museum, it is also worth visiting the chapel.
On the history of Calvary in Kiko You can read here More about the small cemetery of the Plasa family Available here More information, photo report collecting Kiki sightings Available hereand a photo report covering museum exhibition materials It can be viewed here.
(Péter Pásztor / Felvidék.ma)
