St. Nicholas' (Bishop) Church in Pcim
Identifier
DZIELO/14625
Amount
1
Catalogue note author
Maria Działo
History of work
On 3 July 1338 King Casimir the Great issued the foundation act of the parish in Pcim. It was also when he erected a wooden temple of St. Nicholas and a presbytery. A sculpture of St. Nicholas, dated to the fourth quarter of the 14th century, has survived from this temple. The first description of the church comes from the records of the visitation of Bishop Jerzy Radziwiłł in 1596. It was a wooden one-nave temple with a log construction on an oak base, oriented, with a chapel, chancel and sacristy, and covered with shingles. There was a bell tower with three bells at the entrance. The interior was illuminated by eight windows, with three altars and a wooden baptismal font. Five altars were mentioned in the visitation records from 1730 and the progressing destruction of the temple was mentioned. The church was renovated by Father Franciszek Cieniowski, parish priest in the years 1738–1762, which is confirmed by the visitation records from 1747 where the renovation has been mentioned. In that year the church included the following altars: the high altar of St. Nicholas and side altars of the Crucifixion of Jesus, St. Nicholas, St. Anthony and Our Lady of the Rosary. However, the technical condition of the building at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries was so bad that it became structurally unsound. Construction of a new temple began in 1810 and was completed in 1829. The church was consecrated by the Cracovian suffragan bishop Franciszek de Paula Pisztek on 5 November 1833. The temple was built on the grounds of the old cemetery. In 1839, one of the graves collapsed under the weight of the floor and stone baptismal font. Inside the church, two altars were placed: the high altar from the early 18th century and the side altar of Our Lady of the Rosary. Probably, both altars were transferred from the church of St. Agnes in Stradom to Krakow. In turn, the second side altar dates back to the mid-17th century and was transferred from the former temple in Pcim. During the time when Father Wojciech Łapiński was the parish priest, the temple was equipped with, among others, a pulpit, organ gallery and patron's pews. The organs were made by a local self-taught man, Ludwik Jan Gracz in the 18th century (the instrument was altered and extended in 1968). The church was renovated at the beginning of the 20th century: the rafter framing was replaced, the roof of the main nave was covered with tiles and the tower was covered with sheet metal. In 1961, after an electrical system had been installed, polychrome of the ceiling was renovated. The current polychrome of the entire church designed by Franciszek Kramarz from Jaworzno was made by the painters: Piotr Tarka and Tadeusz Czyczyło, under Antoni Rzezik from Chrzanów direction. Additionally, the loft was extended and the construction of tower was reinforced. With regard to wall polychrome for Our Lady Of The Rosary Chapel, it was made in the eclectic style by the painters: Adolf Hiroń i Paweł Palka, according to the design of Giebułtowski of Oświęcim. In 1983 - 1984 a wide transept nave and new chancel were built on to eastern part of a church (the presbyterial section of the church). Stained glass windows in the chancel were created probably before 1910. The designer and constructor their of remain unknown. In the church, there are also a box from the second half of the 17th century, crucifix from the 18th century, as well as various monuments from the 19th century. During the inventory of the church in the 1960s, the temple still had a historic sculpture of St. Nicholas from the fourth quarter of the 14th century (it is currently located in the Museum in Myślenie).
Abstract
St. Nicholas' Church in Pcim was built in 1810-1829 in the Josephine Musterkirchen style with a tower in façade with flanks. It was a very poular style on the borderline of Galicia and Hungary. The church has also some newer extensions from the end of the 20th century. Moreover, its architecture realizes the simplicity postulate of construction and resignation from a rich interior design. The church was consecrated by the Cracovian suffragan bishop Franciszek de Paula Pisztek on 5 November 1833. Inside the church, there are a high altar from the early 18 century and an Our Lady of the Rosary side altar. Probably, both altars were transferred from St. Agnes Church on Stradom in Cracow. In turn, the second side altar comes from the mid 17th century and it was transferred from the former temple in Pcim. When father Wojciech Łapiński served as a parish priest, the temple was expanded by a pulpit, matroneum and presenter's pews. Organ was made by a local self-taught Ludwik Jan Gracz in the 18th century (the instrument was altered and extended in 1968). In 1961, after an electrical system had been installed, polychrome of the ceiling was renovated. The current polychrome of the entire church designed by Franciszek Kramarz from Jaworzno was made by the painters: Piotr Tarka and Tadeusz Czyczyło, under Antoni Rzezik from Chrzanów direction. Additionally, a choir was extended and tower construction was reinforced. With regard to wall polychrome for Our Lady Of The Rosary Chapel, it was made in the eclectic style by the painters: Adolf Hiroń i Paweł Palka, according to the design of Giebułtowski of Oświęcim. In 1983 - 1984 a wide transept nave and new chancel were built on to eastern part of a church (the presbyterial section of the church). Stained glass windows in the chancel were created probably before 1910. The designer and constructor their of remain unknown. In the church, there are also a box from the second half of the 17th century, crucifix from the 18th century, as well as various monuments from the 19th century. During an inventory of the church in the sixties, there was also an antique sculpture of St. Nicholas from the fourth quarter of the 14th century in the temple (currently it is stored in the Museum in Myślenice).
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How to cite?
Maria Działo, "St. Nicholas' (Bishop) Church in Pcim", [in:] "The Sacred Lesser Poland Heritage", 2024, source: https://sdm.upjp2.edu.pl/en/works/st-nicholas-bishop-church-in-pcim