Church of St James in Topolšica

The Church of St James is one of the six branch churches of the Šoštanj parish. There is no information about its origins, but it was first mentioned in 1545. The visitation by Bishop Scarlichi in 1631 states that the church has three altars and some modest furnishings, and that it was in need of renovation. There is no information on what the people of Topolšica did in the 17th century at the visitor's recommendation. We do know, however, that the church was thoroughly renovated two hundred years later, during the time of parish priest Ferdinand Karg (1822-1848). It was then that the sanctuary acquired its present form.

In 1842, a new main altar of St James the Greater was installed in the church, and it still stands today. The side altars of St Catherine and St Urban from 1864 are the work of the woodcarver Jožef Vrenko from Frankolovo. The oldest and most beautiful part of the church furnishings is the organ by an unknown master from 1778, purchased in 1871 from the Church of St Andrew above Polzela. In 1987 it was restored by the organ master Anton Jenko from Ljubljana.

The exterior of the church and the bell tower roof were renovated some time ago, while the interior still awaits restoration. In 1901 a third bell joined the two bells from 1843 and 1844 in the church tower. During the Second World War they lost all their bells. For a short time only a "cinklenkl" (small bell) hung in the tower, borrowed from the church in Zavodnje. Since 1965 the church has once again had three bells. The Church of St James is the pride of the spa town of Topolšica.

Source: https://poslan.si/zupnije/