St. Elizabeth's Cathedral in The World Without End series
The World Without End was directed by Michael Caton-Jones based on a story by Ken Follett and a screenplay by John Pielmeier. The film was a 2012 co-production between Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It stars Ben Chaplin, Cynthia Nixon, Tom Cullen, Tom Weston-Jones, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Charlotte Riley, Nora Waldstatten, Ruppert Evans, and others in lead and minor roles. The film also takes place in St. Elizabeth's Cathedral on the Main Square in Košice in several time sequences 1st minute of 2nd and 3rd episode, 26th minute of 3rd episode , 7th and 44th minute of 4rd episode and 16th minute od 5th episode.
Based on a novel by Ken Follett, the World Without End series is set 150 years after the story of the successful Pillars of the Earth series. In the extremely uncertain period of the early 14th century, on the verge of the Hundred Years' War, England is fraught with power struggles within the ranks of both the nobility and the Church. Fear and ubiquitous death also stem from the execution of the inconvenient, the obsolescence of medical procedures, and unpredictable political uncertainty. Nor is the war between France and England the last item on the sum total of the hardships that decimate the people of England. The plague kills without distinction of status, sex, or age.
The World Without End series is set in England after 1327. Despite this, it was in Slovakia that it gained key shooting space. It was the first to bring a film camera to the premises of an important monument of the eastern Slovak metropolis and was able to use it in several scenes with different casts and Slovak extras. The series used locations and sets built in the British Isles, Austria, Hungary, but he also filmed at Bojnice Castle. In Košice, however, it acquired unique premises closest to the period in which the series was set. The filmmakers were spared the construction of costly and extensive sets by using the magnificent premises of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. Carpets, electronics, and other modern elements were removed for filming purposes. The contemporary modern altar was overlaid with a film backdrop of an altar that looked more appropriate. Otherwise, there was no need to hide any other elements or objects in the Dome. St. Elizabeth's Cathedral was a cinematic Kingsbridge Cathedral. The wedding scene in it opens the plot of the second volume of the series. Many details of the interior decoration are recognisable, including the stained-glass windows. An accident on the wooden bridge and several drowned and injured people forms the final scene of the second episode. The third episode begins with the victims of the disaster being carried back to the premises of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. In the 26th minute of the second episode, one of the series' weddings takes place there. In the fourth episode, the Cathedral is bathed in sunlight as Godwyn (Rupert Evans) stands in the pulpit and preaches to the congregation. In the fourth episode, we also get to see the choir section of the Cathedral, and the importance of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral to the Canadian-British-German film crew is repeatedly emphasised by its visibility in other scenes.
Source
Tomáš Galierik
St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral in Košice
The dominant sight of the city of Košice is the gothic church St.Elizabeth’s Cathedral, which is the biggest church in Slovakia and the most eastern located cathedral of a western style in Europe. The dome has kept many original gothic features and valuable art works, for example the beautiful northern portal with the tympanum showing the last court. The interior of this church deserves individual attention; especially because of its four wing alter of Saint Elizabeth, built between 1974 and 1977 with the biggest European collection of 48 gothic table paintings from WWI. In addition, you can admire a number of precious relics, or take advantage of a unique opportunity and walk up the Royal staircase which is one of five double spiral staircases of the Gothic period in Europe.
