Churches & monasteries

Franciscan Church in Głogówek

The Franciscan Church in Głogówek forms part of the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto and is one of the town’s most interesting religious monuments. The Franciscans arrived in 1264, and the key reminder of the later expansion is the Loreto House — a chapel modelled on the Santa Casa in Loreto. It is a compact but rewarding stop for visitors interested in Baroque art and pilgrimage history in Upper Silesia.

A Baroque interior

The church acquired its present appearance in the 17th and 18th centuries after successive damage and rebuilding. Its interior features polychromes and paintings by Franciszek Antoni Sebastiń from 1770–1780, while the sculptural decoration is associated with Jan Schubert. Look for the high altar, pulpit, chapels of St Anthony, St Anne and the Holy Cross, and the organ loft.

The Loreto House

The chapel was built around 1630, and in 1636 the church was extended so that its body enclosed it. Count Jerzy III Oppersdorff was the founder who introduced the Loreto devotion to Głogówek. The visit shows how the Italian Santa Casa model was incorporated into a Silesian monastic complex.

Practical information

The shrine is at 3 Klasztorna Street. The official Franciscan website says that interior visits are possible after contacting the custodian in advance, so do not assume fixed opening hours. Allow 30–45 minutes for the church, Loreto House and main chapels. Entry to the complex is free, but it remains an active shrine.