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A memorial stone in the Roman Catholic Church in the centre of Slatina-Timis has great historic value

  

 

 

 

 

The story behind the stone:

 

Grand Duke Franz, the later husband of Maria-Theresa, and brother of Karel van Lorreinen were both active in the Austrian military during the Austro-Turkish war.  Karel van Lorreinen later became governor of the Southern Netherlands and married the sister of Maria-Theresa:  they all lived together in Tervuren castle.  Together with their troops Franz and Karel reached Domasnea (a village south of Teregova) on 28th June 1738.  They took a day’s respite and used it to explore the area; allegedly they went hunting… and got lost.  The Austrians organised a search party and recovered the 2 noblemen close to Luncavita.  The route back to camp was meanwhile blocked by the north-moving Turks.  Petru Vancea lead the party through the Talna cleft into the forests, along the upper reaches of the Timis towards Trei Ape and from there down the Slatina valley to Slatina-Timis.  There they saw the Austrian camp.  While resting on a boulder they vowed to erect a chapel using that very boulder as the cornerstone. 

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In 1739-1740 AD Empress Elisabeth, the wife of Emperor Karel VI of Austria and mother to Maria-Theresa built a chapel in gratitude to the people of Slatina-Timis

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The chapel was consecrated in 1740 and served as the parish church since the previous chapel had been razed during the war with the Turks.  In 1771 the church was desecrated with bloodshed.  By the orders of Empress Maria-Theresa the current church was built on the same site and the memorial stone was engraved and set in place