St. Mary Magdalene's Church
Identifier
DZIELO/12620
Catalogue note author
Agata Felczyńska
History of work
The first church was probably a wooden building. The first brick temple, originally dedicated to St. Sigismund and St. Mary Magdalene was funded by Iwon Odrowąż, Bishop of Cracow in 1233. He also founded the parish. There is information in the parish chronicles, that bishop Prędota received Pełka, the archbishop of Gniezno, in Wawrzeńczyce in 1245. In 1306-1308, during the battles of Władysław the Elbow-high for the throne of Cracow, the army of bishop Muskata and commune leader Albert were stationed in the village. There was a fire of the church at that time. The present building, using part of the structure of the original temple, was built in the 15th century, and, after the fire of 8 April 1676, it was extended at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. At that time, a rectangular (non-existent) chapel was added to the nave body from the south. During the war in 1917, the church was partially destroyed - the Gothic tops of the elevation from the east and west suffered particularly badly. In the interwar period (1919-1932), more extensive restoration works were carried out, a new semi-circle chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, designed by Bogdan Treter was built, on the site of the dilapidated Baroque southern chapel. The polychrome was made in the nave by professor Wacław Taranczewski, and in the chancel by Redliczka. A new marble floor was laid in the church in 1980. In 1988, conservators Paweł and Alexander Mitkow renovated the polychrome in the main nave and covered the new walls of the chancel. In 1999, a thorough renovation and conservation of the external walls of the church took place.
Abstract
The original church was funded in 1223 by Iwon Odrowąż, bishop of Cracow. Part of the present church originates from the 15th century and its oldest element is a chancel from the second half of the 13th century. The body (nave) of the church was modified in the 14th, 15th and 17th centuries and at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. A chapel from 1919-1932, designed by architect Bogdan Treter, is adjoined to the building from the southern side. Both the vault of the body (nave) and music choir were built after 1914. In addition to the chancel, the oldest elements of the decor are gothic portals and window frames. The altar of Our Lady of the Scapular and Baby Jesus from 1741 (composed of fragments from different time periods) and a number of epitaph plaques funded by local families are also noteworthy.
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How to cite?
Agata Felczyńska , "St. Mary Magdalene's Church", [in:] "The Sacred Lesser Poland Heritage", 2025, source: https://sdm.upjp2.edu.pl/en/works/st-mary-magdalenes-church