Gold coin Cathedral of St. Elizabeth - Double spiral staircase SK proof
Gold coin Cathedral of St. Elizabeth - Double spiral staircase SK proof
The product can also be purchased directly in the stores of the Czech Mint
Cathedral of St. Elizabeth
The final gold coin of the Czech Mint's four-part miniseries, which pays tribute to the Cathedral in Košice, features a double spiral staircase.
When the King visited St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Košice to attend mass, he sat on the emporium, there was a view of the entire central part of the dome. At the same time, crowds of pilgrims could observe the relic of the blood of Christ that was on display. The ascent to this gallery consisted of two spiral staircases, which intersect five times in total. This unusual design was created around 1400 - it is the oldest of its kind in Europe, and there are only four other cities with similar designs. It inspired the builders in the cities of Cluj and Sighişoara in Transylvania, Graz in Austria, and St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. The combination of left- and right-hand staircases is highly inconvenient and cramped, therefore assumed that it primarily served as a decoration. Nevertheless, it was popular among people - especially among couples in love, who would separate at the beginning of the ascent, only to meet again at the end on the common steps…
The author of the coin - the medal maker Lenka Nebeská, DiS. - dedicated the reverse side of the coin to the southern part of the dome, where there is a staircase decorated with a number of pointed arches. The composition of the reverse side is supplemented with the Slovak inscription ZDVOJENÉ TOČITÉ SCHODISKO. As this coin is being issued with a foreign license of the island of Niue, the obverse side bears the necessary attributes of this issuer - the name and portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the nominal value of 10 DOLLARS and the year of issue 2022. All this is supplemented with gothic ornaments.
The collection of coins with the motifs of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral has its place in a collector's box, which you can also find in the offer of the Czech Mint.