Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Identifier
DZIELO/14937
Amount
1
Catalogue note author
Justyna Kuska
History of work
The current Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Bachowice was built during 1920 - 1925 according to the design of the Cracovian architect Franciszek Mączyński. According to sources it is known that until the end of the 18th century, there was a wooden temple dedicated to St. Bartholomew in the town. The church which had previously served as a branch church of the parish in Spytkowice was demolished by order of the Austrian authorities. One of the initiators of the construction of a new church was Franciszek Gołba, a retired priest from Bachowice, who included detailed information about the construction of the church in the parish chronicle he had kept since 1924. The Construction Committee was set up as early as 1906, but construction works did not start until 1920 due to financial problems. Two years later, on 11 June 1922 the foundation stone was consecrated by prelate Joseph Bielanin, a delegate of the Cracovian archbishop, Adam Sapieha. The construction of the temple was supervised by Marcin Majkut, a masonry foreman from Oświęcim. The works were carried out in several stages due to a lack of funding and materials needed for construction. In 1923, thanks to the support of the Potocki family from Krzeszowice, who donated wood and boards, it was possible to resume them. Carpentry work was performed by carpenters from Targanice near Andrychów under the direction of Benedykt Byrski. The residents of Bachowice were also involved in the construction, and some of the works were entrusted to them. According to Father Gołba, despite difficulties, "the outside walls were completed, the concrete ceiling in the sacristy was laid and the roofs of the sacristy, the groin naves and the chapel were covered". In the following year, the naves and the chapel were plastered and the coping was completed. A wooden floor was laid in part of the building and most windows and doors were inserted. At the same time, pillars were erected in the naves, on top of which a concrete ceiling was placed, and in the following year, the roof was tiled, the facade of the temple was shored and a wooden altar and a temporary pulpit were erected. On 6 December 1925, the unfinished building was consecrated on behalf of archbishop Sapieha by prelate Adam Podwin. Until 1932, works on the finishing of the building were still in progress (among others façade) and the furnishings of the temple. The works were completed with the laying of a concrete floor in the interior and the construction of a "large altar", which was made possible thanks to the funds obtained from Father Franciszek Krupa, the parish priest in Ślemień who came from Bachowice. Father Franciszek Gołba reported these events in the parish chronicle: "thanks to the donation of Fr. Franciszek Krupa, our fellow countryman and long-term parish priest in Ślemień, the facade with windows and the Eye of Providence (attic), according to the design of architect Franciszek Mączeński [sic!], were made by masonry worker Władysław Buda with two bricklayers: Bylica from Chocznia and Loni from Jaroszowice. In addition, a concrete base for the loft was set up the church and a vestibule with two doors was built". The most important donations for the temple in Bachowice include the altar dedicated to Virgin Mary with a painting by Wojciech Eljasz-Radzikowski founded by Father Franciszek Gołba, and designed by Erwin Czerwenka from Krakow, a painting depicting Christ Crucified with Mary Magdalene donated by Michalina Pieniążkowa, and the altar of St. Joseph, which was made by "sculptor Maćkowski in Krakow". The organ was donated by the Church Committee in Brzeszcze.
Abstract
The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Bachowice was built during 1920 - 1925 according to the design of the Cracovian architect Franciszek Mączyński. According to sources it is known that until the end of the 18th century there was a wooden temple dedicated to St. Bartholomew in the village. The church was demolished by order of the Austrian authorities. The construction of the new building was carried out (with breaks) in the years 1920-1925, and on 6 December 1925 it was crowned with a solemn consecration, which was carried out on behalf of Archbishop Sapieha by Prelate Adam Podwin. Until 1932, works on the finishing of the building were still in progress (among others façade) and the furnishings of the temple. In terms of style, the church in Bachowice is a small temple of traditional forms, referring to historical solutions, which, however, have undergone some modernization. The author of the design, Franciszek Mączyński, is considered one of the most important artists in Cracovian architectural community at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. During his professional career, which lasted for several decades, he designed many public buildings, for example in Cracow, Katowice and Zakopane, as well as numerous tenement houses, private houses and churches. The temple in Bachowice is rarely mentioned in the context of the author's artistic work, probably because during construction of the church, the design of Mączyński was significantly modified (among others erection of tower was abandoned, layout of the façade was changed). The signature and stamp of the architect can be found on designs of the church stored in the parish archive in Bachowice.
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How to cite?
Justyna Kuska, "Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus", [in:] "The Sacred Lesser Poland Heritage", 2024, source: https://sdm.upjp2.edu.pl/en/works/church-of-the-most-sacred-heart-of-jesus