St James's Church, Sandomierz

This bare brick church on St James's Hill looks austere, but it is one of the oldest churches in Poland built entirely of brick. Dominican friars began building St James the Apostle's Church around 1226, combining Romanesque forms with some of the earliest Gothic vaulting in the country. It is also a place of remembrance: during the Mongol raid of 1260, 49 friars were killed here together with their prior, Sadok.

History: from the Odrowąż foundation to the friars' return

The Dominicans were brought to Sandomierz by Iwo Odrowąż, Bishop of Kraków, and the foundation itself was overseen by his nephew, St Hyacinth (Jacek). The Sandomierz priory was the second Dominican house in Poland after Kraków and one of the oldest in Europe. Construction went in stages: first the chancel and sacristy, then the nave, with finishing work continuing until the end of the 13th century. In 1990, fragments of an even older stone church were found beneath the floor, including a lion's head from a portal and tomb slabs engraved with swords.

After the January Uprising against Russian rule, the Tsarist authorities closed the priory in 1864 and turned its buildings into Cossack barracks. The Dominicans returned only in 2001, after 137 years. Since 2018 it has again been a full priory. The church is part of Sandomierz's Historic Monument of Poland listing (2017).

What to see

• The main portal – a twin, round-arched doorway with brick ornament. Polish viewers know it from the opening titles of the TV series "Ojciec Mateusz" (Father Matthew).
• The interior – a three-aisled basilica without a transept and with a very long chancel, built to seat the whole community. The walls are left unplastered, which keeps the medieval character.
• The Chapel of the Dominican Martyrs (1603–1606), modelled on the Sigismund Chapel at Wawel, with a painting of the martyrdom by Karol de Prevot. Since 2003 it has held the friars' remains found during excavations.
• The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, with Art Nouveau decoration by Karol Frycz and a wrought-iron screen from 1910.
• Adelaide's sarcophagus – an oak coffin from 1676 in the chancel, traditionally linked with the church's founder.

Interesting facts

The belfry holds bells from 1314 ("Piotr") and 1389 ("Jan"), counted among the oldest dated bells in Poland. When designing the stained glass, Karol Frycz mixed up the habits: St Hyacinth wears a Cistercian robe, while Blessed Wincenty Kadłubek wears a Dominican one. In memory of the 1260 martyrs, Polish Dominicans may wear red belts. In 1959 archaeologists found a mass grave with about 330 skeletons next to the priory, many with traces of blows.

Tripto tip

The church is at ul. Staromiejska 3, a few minutes' walk from the Opatów Gate, on the edge of Queen Jadwiga's Gorge. Combine it with the neighbouring St Paul's Church and the gorge. It is an active priory church, so visit outside Mass times and keep your voice down. Allow 30–45 minutes for the interior, the portal and a look at the belfry from outside. Check current service times and visiting rules on the Dominicans' website. The portal looks best in the afternoon, when the sun brings out the colour of the brick.