Landmarks

St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Kasina Wielka

In Kasina Wielka in the Mszana Dolna commune, in the heart of the Beskid Wyspowy mountains, stands the wooden St. Mary Magdalene’s Church from 1678 — a stop on the Lesser Poland Wooden Architecture Trail. Its predecessor, built in the 16th century and consecrated in 1624, survived until 1678, when the present church took its place.

From the bulbous spire to the donkey’s back

The church is east-facing and single-nave; the nave and polygonally closed presbytery are of log construction, while the four-sided tower — post-built and boarded — carries a small belfry floor. Attached to the tower are two outbuildings and a porch with a “donkey’s back” gable. A shingled roof with a small turret covers everything, and the tower is crowned by a bulbous spire with a lantern.

Marcin Pracz’s 1835 organ

The interior features flat ceilings with zaskrzynienia alcoves and Baroque polychromy — the coronation of the Virgin Mary over the nave, scenes from the history of the Dominican order over the vestibule. On the rood beam hangs a 17th-century crucifix with figures of the Virgin and St. John, and the main altar holds an ancient statue of Mary Magdalene. The greatest musical ornament is the organ of 1835, the work of Marcin Pracz Pcimski — a rare case of such an old instrument still serving a village church.

In practice

Kasina Wielka lies by the road and the Kraków–Zakopane railway line, with a local stop, so you can arrive by car or train. The church stands on a rise in the village centre; the interior can be visited outside mass times. Combine the visit with climbing the neighbouring Śnieżnica (1,007 m), whose slopes catch the first winter snows, or with a stroll around Mszana Dolna.

St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Kasina Wielka

From the bulbous spire to the donkey’s back

Marcin Pracz’s 1835 organ

In practice

What to see

Place map

Recommended tours and tickets

Places to stay nearby

Sources and further reading

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St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Kasina Wielka

About this place

From the bulbous spire to the donkey’s back

Marcin Pracz’s 1835 organ

In practice

What to see

Place map

Recommended tours and tickets

Places to stay nearby

Sources and further reading

Nearby attractions