Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: basilica

This is actually an Orthodox church, the first that I've ever visited. St. Andreas is the patron saint of Patras, hence the name. Photography isn't allowed inside, but from the outside nobody bothered me. The inside is worth a visit, though, as it's colourful, and quite ornate. Nothing like any church I've been to before, other than, of course, the high vaulted ceilings and great attention to detail. According to... www.infocenterpatras.gr/mnimeia/mnimeia_eng.htm This is the largest Orthodox church in the Balkans (although many people object to the notion that Greece is a Balkan country), and can accomodate 5,500 worshippers and guests. Supposedly among the relics are is St. Andreas's skull and finger, stored in a large silver case. In addition, the site is a pre-Christian religious site, as prior to the construction of the church, a pagan temple to Demeter stood here, although a number of churches have stood here in the interim. The current church only dates to 1908.

This is a closeup side view of the basilica, showing some odd color patches on the wall, with what looks like an electrical conduit through them. I have no idea what the reason is or was for these colors, and to say the least I'm curious.

This was my third shot of the basilica.

This was my second shot of the basilica.

Next to the town hall was this church, or rather basilica, where it is alleged St. Vaclav (a.k.a. St. Wenceslas, a.k.a. St. Wenceslaus, a.k.a. Wenceslas or Wenceslaus I) was murdered by his brother Boleslav (a.k.a. Boleslaus I, a.k.a. Boleslaus the Cruel)in 935 C.E. This basilica is in a baroque style, not yet used at the time of construction (1039-1046), so I have to assume, although I don't know the history, that it was renovated at sometime in the 17th or 18th Century. At the time of the murder, however, an older church, the St. Kosma and Damian church stood here, and it is said that indeed Vaclav was murdered at the door of the older church, just not this one.

Here's a parting shot of the front of the Bazilika.

One of the doorways into the courtyard also responds well to a black and white conversion.

Here's another shot of the courtyard.

Here was some of the other equipment/supplies/junk available to the maintenance crew, which I think makes a nice photo in black and white.

The shingles look especially good in black and white.

I took several shots of the shingles, examining the patterns they made in the stack, and I wasn't the only photographer to notice this.

There were plenty of spare parts stored in the Basilica, including these slate shingles. It doesn't look like they're for the roof, though, as the roof is reddish in color.

The courtyard is actually walled in more than being a part of the main building, as you can see here, looking in towards the rear of the nave.

The Basilica also has a courtyard, albeit one without a garden, and in it are several statues in varying states of repair.

Sv. Kopecek refers to the hill on which the Basilica is built. It isn't a very tall hill, but it still gives visitors a good view of the surrounding countryside, which is mostly flat.

The Bazilika Minor na sv. Kopecku (Basilica Minor on St. Kopecek) was built in 1669-1679, and designed by Giovanniho Pietra Tencalla, although an older church had existed on this site as early as 1078. More recently, this Basilica was a stop on Pope John Paul II's tour of the Czech Republic in 1995.

This is a more common angle on the basilica, showing the twin clock towers.

The full name of this basilica is the "Basilica Minor of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary," which is such a long name that it's rarely used. Dating to 1669, this basilica was one of the places Pope John Paul II visited in 1995.