Franciscan Basilica (Krakow)
| Franciscan Church | |
|---|---|
 View from the Planty |
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| Construction year: | 1236 |
| Inauguration: | 1269 |
| Style elements : | Gothic , Art Nouveau |
| Client: | Catholic Church |
| Location: | 50 ° 3 '33.2 " N , 19 ° 56' 10" E |
| Address: | ul. Franciszkańska 2 Krakow Poland |
| Purpose: | Roman Catholic Franciscan Church |
| Diocese : | Krakow |
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The Kraków Franciscan Church ( Polish: Kościół Franciszkanów ) was named after St. Francis of Assisi and, together with the adjoining Franciscan monastery , it is located in Kraków on Franciscan Street 2. The church is one of the oldest Gothic churches in Kraków, it was given the title in 1920 awarded to a minor basilica . The church is located on the Lesser Poland section of the Camino de Santiago from Sandomierz to Tyniec .
In 1237, Duke Henry the Pious brought the Franciscans from Prague to Krakow. The founder of the church was Duke Boleslaw V ("the chaste"), who was buried there with his sister. The church was consecrated in 1249. In the first half of the 15th century, the church was expanded considerably. In 1563 the bell tower (Bracka tower) was built. The bell tower was demolished in 1816 (according to an anecdote because the Prussian resident in Krakow could not sleep because of the sound of the bell). Also in 1816 the wall around the old cemetery was torn down. The greatest misfortune for the church was a fire in 1850.
The Franciscan Church is a brick Gothic building and is divided into a choir, transept, nave and several chapels. Particularly noteworthy is the polychrome glass painting. The paintings in the choir and transept were created by Stanisław Wyspiański (1869–1907). The main work in this church is the colored glass window "God the Father - Become!" Above the main entrance to the church, it shows God the Father at the moment of the creation of the world. In the chancel there are also stained glass by Wyspiański: Sl. Salome and St. Francis.
The church has three chapels: the Chapel of Blessed Salome, the Chapel of the Passion of Christ and the Chapel of the Mother of God. In the Passion Chapel there is a statue of Christ and the walls are painted with Stations of the Cross (a work by Józef Mehoffer ). The grave of Blessed Aniela Salawa (1881–1922), who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1991 , is also located here. In this chapel there is also a copy of the Turin shroud . In the chapel of Blessed Salome there is a marble altar with alabaster statues from the 17th century. In a niche next to the altar is a coffin with the bones of Duke Bolesław the Chaste. In the third chapel “Our Lady of Sorrows” there is an image of Our Lady of Sorrows, which has been venerated by the people of Krakow for centuries. It was crowned in 1908 by Pope Pius X.
In the cloisters of the church there is a gallery of portraits of the bishops of Kraków. The most famous residents of the Franciscan monastery were: Benedict the Pole, St. Rafał Chyliński , St. Józef Sebastian Pelczar and St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe . In front of the church is a memorial to Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha (1867–1951), the spiritual leader of the Polish people during World War II and during the Stalinist era .
Stained glass window ("God the Father - Become") by Wyspiański in the Franciscan Church
Wyspiański stained glass window in the chancel of the Franciscan Church
Passion chapel of the Franciscan Church with a copy of the Turin shroud
Memorial plaque for Father Maximilian Kolbe at the Franciscan monastery in Krakow
Web links
- The Basilica and Franciscan Monastery in Krakow (in Polish)
- Franciscan Church unofficial website, history and photo gallery (in Polish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bazylika św. Franciszka z Asyżu on gcatholic.org