Satu Mare - The Chapel of the Roman Catholic Episcopal Palace

The palace of the episcopacy, made in classic style, had several phases of construction. The project was made by Joseph Bitthauser, the architect of Károlyi family, in 1805. The staircase, the reception hall and the chapel were made later, in the period between 1837 and 1840. The first bishop living in the palace was János Hám, since 1851. The building was extended in 1859, when the north-western wing was built. The library and the linking part between the wings of the palace were finished only in 1892. The palace was greatly damaged by bombs in 1944. Originally, the building with two levels had the street surrounding three of its sides. The main façade ends with a tympanum. At the upper level the arched windows open between the pillars made in Corinthic style, resembling the main door. The façade is fit with emphasized cornices, vertically is divided by lesenas, and on the corners by Ionic pillars. The staircase of the entrance opens to the right, being decorated with stone banister (the profiled stones imitate the original stones). The staircase leads to the first level, to the reception hall, having the present aspect since 2004. The chapel is situated at the first level, facing the yard, in the middle wing of the building. It has an eclectic aspect, being made according to the project of Ernő Foerk (1868–1934) in 1908. It is decorated with stuccoes, colored glass window and the ceiling with cassettes. The furniture of the chapel was made in the same period. The mural paintings depicting the Hungarian saints are framed by circular borders, and are situated at the upper part of the wall. The altar was made in 1806 for the chapel of Ardud castle, where Sándor Petőfi and Julia Szendrey got married. The present painting on the altar depicts The Holy Virgin with the Child. The chapel was built in the period between 1952 and 1990. (TSz).