Notes
The doctoral dissertation is an interdisciplinary work presenting, analysing and assessing the architecture of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Slovenia between 17th and 19th centuries. The work examines Capuchin monasteries built in the former Capuchin Styrian province, while presenting in greater detail those built within the borders of present-day Slovenia. The research focuses on the period from the establishment of the first monastery to the dissolution of a few monastic houses. It only sketches the subsequent architectural history of surviving monastery compounds. The dissertation first defines the problems, presents the research hypothesis and methodology and provides an overview of existing research. In the continuation, the history of the Order of Friars Minor is presented, especially the Capuchins, who settled on Slovenian territory at the end of the 16th and at the beginning of the 17th Century. The spiritual atmosphere of the time when the Capuchins came in this region is presented in detail. They played a major role in the re-Catholising the Habsburg Hereditary Lands. Noble patrons and clerics, who most often gifted land to the monastery, and financially supported its construction, also had an important role. Capuchins also arrived in some towns at the request of townspeople and local residents, who helped with the construction. The dissertation then highlights the attitude of the Order of Friars Minor to the construction of monastic houses. The first monasteries were very modest and simply constructed, but they gradually moved away from the original Franciscan ideal of poverty, becoming spacious and boasting rich decor. Therefore, the Capuchins sought to return to the roots of the architectural principle of the Order of Friars Minor and to follow the teachings of its founder. Therefore, the influence of St. Francis on the design of original architecture built by Friars Minor, which significantly influenced the subsequent design of Capuchin monasteries and the adoption of provisions in Capuchin constitutions, is presented in detail. Furthermore, there is a comprehensive presentation of the history and development of Capuchin architecture in Europe. In order to understand Capuchin architecture in Slovenia, it is vital to have some knowledge of the order's construction manuals and treatises. Therefore, the treatise by the Capuchin friar Antonio da Pordenone from the Capuchin Province of Venice, who left four copies at the beginning of the 17th century, kept in Venice and Innsbruck, is a good starting point for interpreting this architecture in Slovenia. In this respect, two kinds of influence are important: the Venetian, as the first Capuchins arrived here from the Capuchin province of Venice, and Tyrol, where a particular type of monastery, adapted to a colder climate, was devised. This type of monastery is called the Venetian-Tyrol type. It spread all over Central Europe, including Slovenia.The main focus of the research is on the presentation of Capuchin architecture in Slovenia. The history of monasteries, original designs and subsequent major improvements and extensions are discussed in detail, while the present situation is outlined. The descriptions are accompanied by rich visual material. The doctoral dissertation concludes with a detailed synthesis and analysis of the data collected, a definition of the type of Capuchin monastery in Slovenia, an interpretation of typical Capuchin furnishings and iconography, as well as an attempt at a stylistic analysis. The art of the Capuchin order is also assigned a significant role in the wider pastoral activity within the framework of re-Catholisation. Because Capuchin architecture strictly followed Francis's words and rigorous rules on construction, it is quite easily recognisable, uniformed and because of that timeless. When describing Capuchin architecture, some authors even use the term "Capuchin style".