Marijampolės Šv. Mykolo Bazilika: nuo Pašešupio koplyčios iki Pirmojo pasaulinio karo atsiradimo: statybų ir rekonstrukcijų istorijos metmenys

ENThe beginning of Marijampolė is related to the first Catholic prayer house built in its territory. In 1717, the place for it was chosen by Prienai elder Morkus Antanas Butleris. We cannot say if there were any settlements there earlier, but the place of construction was chosen with two clear goals: 1. to build a public chapel to the vaitija (small administrative territorial unit) of Pašešupys, far-distant from Prienai parish church (so it should have been easily accessible to the inhabitants of this area); 2. to establish a town near the chapel. The town was conceived as part of a larger plan: the first town was Franapolė, in honour of his wife, Pranciška Ščiukaitė-Butlerienė (the current Frampolis in Poland); the second in honour of Morkus Antanas Butleris himself, so it was called Starapolė, meaning the town of the elder. The location of the first chapel and old cemetery should be in the territory of the current Poetry Park. The present Marijampolė Church was basically formed during the period of 1818–1902 on the initiative of the monks and the funds collected, reflecting their architectural taste and financial possibilities. The features of the church show the characteristics of two epochs, Classicism and Historicism, although the monumental arcades give the impression of Baroque grandeur, reinforced by the Neo-Baroque altars and confessionals. The facade of Marijampolė Church is considered to be the most valuable example of eclectic style sacral architecture in Lithuania.