St James the Apostle Church, Brzesko

Brzesko's old Gothic church has not disappeared, though at first glance it is hard to spot. In the 1980s a new, much larger nave was added on its north side, and the former church became its entrance hall. Walking into St James's therefore takes you from the 15th century straight into 1980s architecture – one of the more striking examples of such a combination in Lesser Poland.

History: one fire after another

The first church in Brzesko is said to have been built around 1400, as the chronicler Jan Długosz records. The brick church was probably erected in 1447, funded by Jaśko, grandson of Spytek of Melsztyn. It burned repeatedly: after a fire in 1655 it was rebuilt, and in 1678 – thanks to the Czerny family, patrons of the town – a tower was added, which today stands on the south side of the nave. Further fires came in 1863 and 1904, when flames destroyed almost the whole town. The church was rebuilt in 1905, and three bells were donated by the Goetz-Okocimski family, owners of the nearby brewery. The Austrians requisitioned them in 1915, and the bells funded by parishioners in 1924 were lost during the German occupation.

In 1980–1989 the church was enlarged with a new main nave, consecrated in 1984.

What to see

• The Gothic part – a single-nave interior with neo-Gothic altars from Ferdinand Stuflesser's workshop in Tyrol. This section has remained almost unchanged.
• The 1678 tower beside the south wall of the old nave.
• The new nave, with a sculpted Pentecost scene on the altar wall designed by Wincenty Kućma, and stained glass by Józef Furdyna.
• The statue of St James, patron of pilgrims, standing by the church.

Tripto tip

The church is at plac św. Jakuba 1, right by the market square. Allow 20–30 minutes to see both parts and compare the old Gothic space with the new nave. It is best to come outside Mass times. In July 2025 a violent storm damaged the roof of the old church and part of its walls, so some elements may be under repair. Not far away, in the southern part of town, stands the Goetz Palace, former residence of the owners of the Okocim brewery.