St Bartholomew's Church, Chęciny

St Bartholomew's Church stands at the foot of the castle hill and can be seen clearly from the castle walls. It is the parish church of a royal town, linked with King Władysław the Short and Casimir the Great, and for several decades it was used by the Arians, a radical Protestant group. In 1588 parliament ordered the court records to be moved here from the castle, which was beginning to fall into ruin.

History

The Gothic church was built in the 14th century. Its founder was probably Władysław the Short (around 1315), and his son Casimir the Great completed it (around 1350). Sources differ on the later stages: some mention an extension in the 15th century, others a rebuilding around 1600 and a domed chapel of 1614. During the Reformation, from 1571, the church belonged to the Arians; in 1603 it was returned to the Catholics and reconsecrated. It was thoroughly restored in 1830–1840.

What to look for

• The plastered Gothic hall with three aisles and a polygonal chancel.
• The early Baroque high altar with paintings of St Bartholomew and St Anne.
• Late Renaissance stalls painted with scenes from the life of St Francis.
• The Renaissance Chapel of the Three Kings in the south aisle, funded by Kasper Fodyga, the town's reeve and patron.
• The altar of St Barbara with a painting of the saint from 1707.
• Epitaphs on the outer wall, including one for Mikołaj Monwid, governor of Połock, and plaques commemorating Chęciny residents murdered by the Germans in 1944.

Did you know?

As the castle lost its importance, parliament ordered in 1588 that its record books be taken to the parish church, which thus became the archive of the former royal district.

Tripto tip

Visit the church on your way up to the castle or back down – from the castle's lookout tower you can photograph it against the town. Twenty to thirty minutes is enough for the interior, which is mainly open around service times. A few hundred metres away is the Franciscan friary founded by Casimir the Great, and the Renaissance Niemczówka house on the market square holds the tourist information office.