Franciscan Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Poznań

The Franciscan Church in Poznań, officially the Church of St. Anthony of Padua with its Conventual Franciscan friary, stands on Franciszkańska Street at the foot of Przemysł Hill, a two-minute walk from the Old Market Square. Behind its modest yellow twin-towered facade lies one of the richest Baroque interiors in the city, created by two friar-artists, the Swach brothers, plus a shrine to Our Lady of Poznań. Entry is free, and it's an easy, rewarding stop between the square and the Royal Castle.

History in brief

In 1644 Bishop Andrzej Szołdrski of Poznań decided to build a church for the Franciscans. After their first wooden church burned, the friars received a steep plot below the castle hill in 1668. Building on the slope required a tall crypt, which is why the east entrance sits at the top of a steep flight of stairs. Local builder Jan Koński signed the construction contract in 1674, and the church was completed in 1728.

Under Prussian rule the order was dissolved in 1832, and from the 1830s the church served the city's German-speaking Catholics. Polish Franciscans returned in 1921. In 1945 the nave vault collapsed during the battle for Poznań; restoration in 1963–1965 revealed the original wall paintings that had been painted over.

What to see inside

• The high altar with a painting of St. Anthony: carved by Brother Antoni Swach (1656–1709) and painted by his younger brother Adam Swach (1668–1747), both friars from Bohemia.
• Adam Swach's ceiling paintings and stucco, from around 1700, covering vaults and the chapel dome.
• The Lady Chapel with the miraculous image of Our Lady of Poznań, declared miraculous in 1669 and crowned in 1968 by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, with Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (later Pope John Paul II) in attendance.
• St. Francis Chapel, laid out to echo the paired chapels of Rome's Santa Maria Maggiore.
• Carved choir stalls by Antoni Swach and a collection of 17th–18th-century portraits.

Fun fact: the church appears on the reverse of a Polish 2-złoty coin from 2011.

Mass times and visiting (as of October 2026)

• Weekdays: 7:00, 9:00, 18:00.
• Sundays and holy days: 10:00, 11:30, 12:30, 18:00.
• Eucharistic adoration: daily 7:00–18:00 in the adoration chapel.

Admission is free. The friary publishes no separate tourist hours, so visit between services and keep quiet; modest clothing is appreciated. Allow 15–30 minutes. Services are in Polish.

How to get there

The address is Franciszkańska 2, Poznań. From the Old Market Square walk west along Franciszkańska Street for a few minutes; the Royal Castle is right above. Poznań is in western Poland, roughly 2.5–3 hours by direct train from Berlin or Warsaw, and the Old Town is a 25-minute walk from Poznań Główny station. The west entrance is at street level; the east one has steep steps.

Is it worth visiting?

Absolutely, especially if you think you've "done" Baroque in Kraków. The Swach brothers' work is intimate and exuberant, and the church is usually calm even when the square is packed. Pair it with the Royal Castle viewpoint above and the Town Hall goats at noon below.