Franciscan Friary, Chęciny

The Franciscans came to Chęciny in 1368 at the invitation of King Casimir the Great and, with a long break, are still here. In between, their friary burned, served as a Protestant church, spent more than a century as a prison and, under communism, housed a tourist hostel with a restaurant. Behind the Baroque gatehouse lie a courtyard with a well, cloisters and a 14th-century Gothic chancel.

History: from royal foundation to prison

Casimir the Great founded the friary in 1368 with the permission of Pope Urban V, together with friaries in Skawina, Opoczno and Szydłów. The first buildings were wooden; in 1465 the friary, home to 12 brothers, burned down and was rebuilt in late Gothic style. During the Reformation it was taken over by Protestants and stripped of its furnishings, and in 1603 it returned to the Franciscans.

In 1612–1620 the starost of Chęciny, Stanisław Branicki, paid for its reconstruction: the church received vaults, new roofs and a west gable, and brick cloisters, farm buildings with an entrance gate and a late Renaissance chapel, known as the Branicki Chapel, were built. In 1657 the friary was wrecked by the troops of George Rákóczi, and three friars were killed. The starost Stefan Bidziński led the rebuilding.

The partitioning authorities dissolved the friary in 1817. The empty buildings became a prison that operated into the 20th century; among others, insurgents of the January Uprising of 1863 were held and died here. During the Second World War the German army occupied the complex. After repairs in 1946–1948 and reconstruction in 1966–1970 it housed a tourist hostel and restaurant. In 1991 it was returned to the Franciscans.

What to look for

• The gatehouse of 1620–1638 with the inscription "Klasztor Franciszkanów" – the entrance to the friary.
• The courtyard with a well, surrounded by 17th-century wings.
• The Gothic chancel with 14th-century window frames, and the church's Gothic west portal.
• Fragments of wall painting from the second half of the 15th century on the chancel arch wall, discovered in 1947, signed "frater Angelus de Sand" – Brother Angel of Sącz.
• The dome of the Branicki Chapel, clearly visible from the castle.

Tripto tip

The friary is in the north-west part of town, a few minutes' walk from the market square and about 600 metres from the castle. It is a working friary, so visit the church quietly outside service times; allow 30–45 minutes for the grounds and interior. The best photo of the whole complex with its green roofs is from the castle hill. Nearby, look into St Bartholomew's parish church.