Krizevniska Cerkev (Church of Our Lady of Mercy), Ljubljana

The Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Križevniška cerkev) forms the central religious building of the Križanke complex. The site has been associated with the Teutonic Order since 1268, when its members settled here. The present Baroque church was built between 1714 and 1715 to a design by Venetian architect Domenico Rossi, replacing an earlier medieval structure.

The church is noted for its centralized Greek-cross plan, considered the first of its kind in Slovenia. An undulating dome and central lantern crown the exterior, while plain vaults highlight altars with paintings by Martin Altomonte and Anton Schoonjans. After a fire on 22 June 1857 destroyed Johann Michael Rottmayr’s main altar painting from 1716, it was replaced in 1859 by a work by Hans Canon. Visitors descend several steps to enter because the surrounding ground level has risen over time.

During Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces from 1809 to 1813, the Teutonic Order was temporarily dissolved and the complex served military purposes. In the 1950s, Jože Plečnik converted the former monastery into a festival venue, incorporating old tombstones, portals, and architectural fragments into its courtyards.