To spot the Church of the Queen of Peace, just look for a tall, plain cream-colored bell tower with narrow vertical windows and a cross on top, rising above a simple curved building across the street on Milosrdenstva.
Alright, traveler! You’re now standing at the modern marvel that is the Church of the Queen of Peace, a piece of Košice’s heart built during the stormy years of 1938-1939-imagine the tension in the air back then, with Europe on edge and builders laying stone under grey cloudy skies. This church doesn’t show off with lots of decoration; it keeps things simple, focusing instead on its special mission-just like its patron, Mary, the Queen of Peace, looking over the city in troubled times. Now, after the Second Vatican Council, the inside of this church changed: out went the main altar, and up came a breathtaking stained glass window. It’s not just any window, either-it was brought to life by famed Hungarian artist Palka József. Step inside (if you get the chance), and you’ll see Mary surrounded by angels, and above her, the pure white dove of the Holy Spirit. Funny thing though, from the outside, all you get is a yellowish, honey-glazed blur, as if the window is keeping its true colors a secret unless you’re lucky enough to be inside. Since 1963, this church has been a national cultural monument-standing quietly, a beacon of both faith and history, waiting for peace to settle in like a hush after the last church bell rings.
