Dolné Orešany is a viniculture village north-west from Trnava. The dominant of the back then yeoman little town and its oldest landmark is the originally Gothic Roman-Catholic Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary. The church was built in the middle of the 14th century and was mentioned for the first time in 1390 It existed as a one-nave building with a polygonal presbytery arched with a rib vault more than 100 years. Around 1470 the church underwent a late Gothic reconstruction. The church nave was arched with groin vault and the church interior was decorated with wall paintings from which only a small part has been preserved. In period between 1518 and 1520 the church was extended and a monumental tower was built in front of its western face. In the 18th century other church modifications were implemented – a new ambo was added, holes for windows were made in the north wall of the nave and the church got a new façade. New altars were added in the interior during a more extensive reconstruction in 1876. The peculiarity of the Dolné Orešany church is the unusual end cap of the tower. In place of a traditional cross as it was common with the catholic churches, there is a royal symbol placed – the copy of St. Stephan’s of the Kingdom of Hungary crown lying on a royal pillow with fringe on the corners. This symbol can rarely be found on the church towers, and usually it is connected only to churches where the real crown was held. Another interesting object of the church is ornate stone pastophorium from 1470 located in the sanctuary. Partially preserved is also the late Gothic fresco capturing the apostles sitting together. A wooden calvary embedded above the triumph arch was preserved as well as the several original windows in the presbytery and the south side of the nave. A legend says that during the Turkish wars the citizens dug underground passages leading out of the village into already at that time a fortified church. The original fortification wall of the church has been preserved until today.

 

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