Church of the Holy Cross, Żagań

The neo-Gothic Church of the Holy Cross stands in the north-eastern part of the palace park in Żagań, right by a bend of the Bóbr river. Outside it catches the eye with a facade of fieldstone granite and dozens of colourful coats of arms; inside are the marble sarcophagi of the Dukes of Żagań (Sagan). In practice it is a family mausoleum that Duchess Dorothea of Talleyrand-Périgord created on the site of a medieval church.

History: from a lepers' chapel to a mausoleum

When the Augustinian Canons Regular came to Żagań in 1284, they took over the chapel of St Lawrence for lepers, which stood by the Bóbr outside the town walls. According to tradition, after a flood in 1332 a large wooden cross was found on the riverbank. Duchess Mathilde, wife of Duke Henry IV the Faithful, founded a Gothic church on the spot, built in 1334–1335; the cross was venerated as a relic with healing powers. In 1651–1668 the church was taken over by Protestants, and early in the 18th century it was rebuilt from ruin.

Rebuilt for Duchess Dorothea

In 1845–1849 the church was remodelled in neo-Gothic style as the family tomb of the Dukes of Żagań. It was designed by Leonhard Dorst von Schatzberg, whom the King of Prussia decorated for it. The interiors were the work of painter Karl Joseph Begas, sculptor Bernhard Afinger, stained-glass maker Carl Samuel Scheinert and 97 craftsmen from Żagań and the surrounding area. On 29 November 1849 Bishop Melchior von Diepenbrock reconsecrated the church.

What to see

• The facade with a pointed-arch portal, niches holding figures of the twelve apostles and of St Hedwig and St Elizabeth, and St Catherine and St Dorothy on the buttresses.
• Fieldstone granite walls, their joints decorated with pieces of bog iron ore, and numerous painted coats of arms.
• Epitaph slabs from the 17th to 19th centuries set against the outer walls.
• Marble sarcophagi of Duchess Wilhelmine, Duchess Dorothea and her son Napoleon Louis in the chapels.
• Uniform neo-Gothic furnishings: high altar, pulpit, font, stalls, the original floor tiles with a flower-and-cross motif and painted vaults. The stained glass has not survived.

Did you know?

In 1981–1983 part of the plaster in the chancel was removed, revealing Gothic brickwork – a trace of Duchess Mathilde's church beneath the 19th-century dress. A new roof was laid in 2013. Every September a fête is held at the church, with proceeds going to its restoration.

Tripto tips

This is a filial church of St Joseph's parish in Żagań, and access to the interior is limited: visits are possible by prior arrangement by phone. You can freely view the building and facades on a walk through the palace park – allow about 30 minutes, and the same again for a guided look inside. It pairs best with a visit to the ducal palace.