The development of the Pauline Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints in Šenkovec (1376 - 1786) in the light of historical and archeological research

Pavlinski samostan Blažene Djevice Marije i svih svetih u Šenkovcu kraj Čakovca, kasnije posvećen svetoj Jeleni, djelovao je na području Međimurja u periodu od 1376. do 1786. godine. Samostan je osnovala obitelj Lacković, a kasnije su njegovi patroni bili obitelj Celjski, Fridrik Lamberg i obitelj Zrinski. Razdoblje kad je obitelj Zrinski vlasnik Međimurja najviše su obilježili brojni sukobi između te obitelji i čakovečkog pavlinskog samostana, koji su bili potaknuti ekonomskim, ali i vjerskim razlozima, jer su Zrinski prešli na protestantizam. To se može iščitati iz činjenice da sukobi sa samostanom traju i nakon što su Zrinski formalno prestali biti protestanti, a sličan odnos, isprepleten sukobima i sporovima, samostan je imao i s obitelji Althan, koja je vlasnik Međimurskog vlastelinstva u 18. stoljeću. Tijekom svog djelovanja samostan je postepeno povećavao svoju nepokretnu imovinu, pa je tako ušao u posjed crkve sv. Jeronima u Štrigovi, te brojnih vinograda, šuma i livada. Stoljećima je uživao razne povlastice, prvenstveno one za trgovanje i vinotočje. Nedjeljom je mogao držati trg pred samostanom, te sajam na blagdan Svete Jelene. Samostan je imao pravo suditi krivcima, te ih osuđivati, pa je tako u čakovečkom samostanu zabilježeno 12 procesa. Dekretom cara i kralja Josipa II. samostan je 1786. godine ukinut, a sva vrjednija imovina bila je otpremljena u Budim, dok je ostala pokretna imovina prodana na dražbi. Samostanske zgrade tada preuzima Dvorska komora, koja na neadekvatan način njima upravlja, pa one postepeno propadaju. Prvotni samostan gradi se u vrijeme gotike, a njemu je u renesansnom periodu dograđena bočna kapela. U baroku se čitav kompleks temeljito rekonstruira, a nakon ukinuća samostana sklop je u svoju privatnu rezidenciju, odnosno dvorac, pretvorio barun Vinko Knežević koji ga dobiva početkom 19. stoljeća. Do kraja stoljeća samostanski sklop je gotovo u potpunosti srušen, a od njega su ostali stajati samo kapela sv. Jelene (svetište nekadašnje samostanske crkve) i jedna gospodarska građevina. Ovaj kompleks prepoznat je kao iznimno vrijedan, pa su još 1924. godine na njemu provedena prva arheološka istraživanja. S radovima se tada stalo, a s novim se arheološkim istraživanjima započelo tek 1990. godine, kada je pokrenuta obnova kapele. U tim radovima u unutrašnjosti kapele, odnosno svetišta pavlinske crkve, pronađen je vrijedan gotički oslik datiran na kraj 14. stoljeća, koji je prezentiran. U arheološkim istraživanjima koja su trajala od 1990. do 2002. godine otkriven je središnji dio samostanskog kompleksa. Temeljem pronađenih arheoloških struktura u tim istraživanjima možemo jasno definirati ove funkcionalne cjeline: svetište samostanske crkve (kapela svete Jelene), crkvena lađa, bočna kapela heksagonalnog tlocrta (takozvani mauzolej obitelji Zrinski), istočno samostansko krilo, sakristija, zapadno samostansko krilo, zvonik (?), južni hodnik samostana, klaustar, te djelomično sjeverno samostansko krilo, dok gospodarske građevine i ogradni zid kompleksa nisu istraženi. Unatoč činjenici da je središnji dio samostanskog kompleksa arheološki istražen, njegovu prezentaciju otežava manjkava dokumentacija o provedenim arheološkim iskopavanjima, loše stanje očuvanosti arheoloških struktura, brojne pregradnje, te današnja neprimjerena neposredna okolina. Kako bismo dobili jasniju sliku o ovom kompleksu i njegovim građevinskim fazama, provedene su dvije kampanje revizijskih arheoloških istraživanja (tijekom 2011. i 2012. godine). Ova istraživanja treba nastaviti kako bi konačna prezentacija lokaliteta bila ispravna i znanstveno utemeljena. Obzirom na ranije utvrđenu povijesnu i spomeničku vrijednost ovog kompleksa, za njegovu pravilnu prezentaciju u svih segmentima treba primijeniti najkvalitetnija rješenja.Pauline monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints in Šenkovec near Čakovec, later dedicated to Saint Helen, existed in Međimurje Region from 1376 to 1786. The monastery was founded by members of Lacković family, and later donators of the monastery were family Celjski, Fridrik Lamberg and Zrinski family. The period when the Zrinski family was in the possession of Međimurje was marked with numerous conflicts with Pauline monastery, which were certainly encouraged with religious reasons, because Zrinski turned to Protestantism, but in this context we should not ignore economic component and interests. This, among other things, can be read from the fact that the dispute with the monastery lasted long after the Zrinski family formally ceased to be Protestant, and similar relationship, intertwined with conflicts and disputes, monastery had with Althan family, which owned Međimurje during the 18th century. Over time monastery increased its estates, so it came into possession of the church of St. Jerome in Štrigova, numerous vineyards, forests and meadows. Monastery enjoyed various privileges, and among them were the one for the Sunday market in front of the monastery, privilege of fair on the feast of St. Helen, and the right to a wine shop. It also had the right to judge and condemn the guilty, and in this monastery there are 12 documented processes. The monastery was abolished by decree of Emperor Joseph II. in the year 1786. Monastery valuables were shipped to Buda, while the other movable property was sold at auction. Monastery buildings were taken over by the Royal Chamber, which inadequately managed them, that lead to their deterioration. The original monastery was built in the Gothic period, and in the Renaissance times was expanded with a side chapel. In the Baroque period the entire complex was completely renovated, and after the abolition of the monastery, it was converted into a private castle of baron Vinko Knežević at the beginning if the 19th century. By the end of the century this complex was almost completely destroyed, and from it were left standing only the chapel of St. Helen (former monastery church sanctuary) and one auxiliary building. This property has been recognized as extremely valuable, so in the year 1924 the first known archaeological excavation were conducted here. The work was then stopped, and continued much later in the year 1990. That was the year that research and reconstruction of the chapel began. Valuable Gothic murals dated to the end of the 14th century were found and presented inside the chapel. Archaeological excavations that lasted from 1990 to 2002, revealed the central part of the monastery complex. In the discovered archaeological structures we can define these functional units: the sanctuary of the monastery church (the chapel of St. Helen), the nave, side chapel of hexagonal plan (called the Zrinski family mausoleum), east wing of the monastery, the sacristy, the west wing of the monastery, the bell tower (?), the southern corridor of the monastery, cloister, and partly north wing of the monastery, while the auxiliary buildings and the wall surrounding the complex have not been explored. In spite of the fact that the central part of this complex has been archaeologically excavated, its presentation is somewhat difficult, do to the incomplete documentation from archaeological research, bad state of preserved archaeological structures, numerous building phases, and today\u27s inappropriate immediate environment. In order to get a clearer picture of this complex and its construction phases, two campaigns of revision archaeological excavation were done (in the year 2011 and 2012). It is necessary to continue this type of excavation in the future, to make the correct and science-based final presentation in situ. Given the previously established historical and heritage value of the complex, in all segments of its presentation only the high quality solutions must be applied