Organ Špania Dolina

The organ from village Špania Dolina belongs among the historical jewels, it is almost 300 years old. Organ was built in the Church of the Lord's Transfiguration in 1751, in the village of Špania Dolina - an ancient mining village with a rich history in the Banská Bystrica region in Central Slovakia. Twelve register organ was built on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Francis I in mining towns.

It is the last organ on the territory of Slovakia with preserved authentic Baroque sound and the last of the big preserved organs of master Martin Podkonický.The organ is completely preserved, without any serious intervention, with the original whistle fund and organ cabinet. Highly valuable are the tin whistles that master Podkonický made from the whistle of the previous, even older instrument and are hand-wrought.

Martin Podkonický (1709-1771) was one of the most important late baroque organ-builder of in Central Slovakia. He built instruments in Orava region (Slovakia) and in Hungary, too. He educated in city of Banská Bystrica (Slovakia) by Daniel Valachy. From year 1730 he worked alone. Work of Podkonický according to the instrument in Špania dolina was of high art and craft quality, comparable to the best in Austria. The organs of Martin Podkonický were characterized by rigorous elaboration, high-quality material and ringing sound.