Kosciól sw. Krzyza / Church of the Holy Cross - Cieszyn (Poland)
N 49° 44.907 E 018° 38.069
34U E 329595 N 5513348
Late Baroque Church of the Holy Cross (Kosciól sw. Krzyza), located in the historic centre of Cieszyn, is one of several Roman Catholic churches in this pictoresque Silesian town.
Waymark Code: WMMH4C
Location: Śląskie, Poland
Date Posted: 09/21/2014
Views: 8
Late Baroque Church of the Holy Cross (Kosciól sw. Krzyza), located in the historic centre of Cieszyn, is one of several Roman Catholic churches in this pictoresque Silesian town.
The Church was built in 1707 at the site of older (1648) chapel, which was transferred to the Jesuits after their arrival in Cieszyn in 1670. The building was reconstructed and repaired several times. The tower was erected in the years 1781-1782 and after devastating Cieszyn fire in 1789, when the church was heavily damaged, it was rebuilt in the late Baroque style thanks to efforts of local patriot and Catholic priest Leopold Szersznik. Church was then renewed many times in the 19th, 20th and 21th century.
Holy Cross is a late Baroque single nave structure with rectangular ground plan. In its interior you can find valuable late Baroque main altar (end of the 18th century) decorated by carvings of the Last Supper, Crucifixion, angel statues and by painting with the Crucifixion scenes. The front church's facade is decorated by statues of St. Francis and St. Joseph.
The church, belonged to the Parish of St. Mary Magdalene, was leased to the Order of the Franciscans in 2005. The Church and Franciscan convent, occupying adjacent complex of former Jesuit college, are now branch of the Province of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Friars Minor in Katowice.