Neo-Gothic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
One of the oldest churches in Chernivtsi - the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - is located on the former Ferdinand Square. The tower of this temple rose 60 meters to the sky. The building has features of Gothic architecture: massive buttresses, 15 of them, support the foundation of the building and large lancet windows (once filled with impressive Czech stained glass). This church is called Jesuit, but now it is the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The author of the project of the church and the neighboring monastery (monastery) was the most famous architect of Chernivtsi, the director of the industrial school Josef Leitzner. In June 1891, a cornerstone was laid for the future church. And three years later, in the autumn of 1894, it was consecrated. Services here were conducted in three languages: Polish, Ukrainian and German. Three bells were brought from Edenburg (Germany). The largest, weighing 20 quintals, was called the "Heart of the Lord Jesus." An organ was installed in the temple, which filled the incredibly decorated walls with notes of music.
The temple was active in the early years of Soviet era. He later had a bitter fate. The church was closed, the unique organ and lower stained glass windows were destroyed, church utensils were looted, the bells disappeared, and the building itself was rebuilt inside - divided into three floors by reinforced concrete floors. Since 1960, the regional state archive has been located in the sanctuary.
Only in 2010 the archive was removed from the church and the church was returned to the religious community of the Roman Catholic Church. For the past 10 years, believers have been trying to revive the shrine. After all, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is still one of the most beautiful buildings in Chernivtsi. In addition to the only service of God, the temple also hosts poetry readings, musical evenings and meetings with interesting people. A crypt was opened in the basement of the church, where 60 Polish soldiers from the First World War are buried.
