Churches & monasteries

St. Michael's Church, Grodków

St Michael the Archangel’s Church in Grodków is one of the town’s most important landmarks and a distinctive part of its skyline. Built from the second half of the 13th century onwards, it combines an early Gothic presbytery with a later basilica-style body, a massive tower and details added during successive alterations.

Construction and changes

The original church was planned as a three-aisled hall with a long presbytery. In the second half of the 14th century it was expanded with a main nave, side aisles and a tower; later works changed the building into a basilica. Fires and wars damaged the church over the centuries. After destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, another rebuilding took place around 1671, followed by partial Gothic Revival restoration in 1893.

What to see

The oldest and most valuable part is the 13th-century presbytery, with architectural details including shafts, friezes, portals and tracery. A sacristy from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries stands beside it. Inside, look for the late-Baroque high altar founded in 1729, the Baroque marble baptismal font and the Baroque organ case.

Visiting Grodków

The church stands in the western part of the historic town, near the former defensive circuit and the Ziębicka Gate. It remains an active place of worship, so sightseeing should fit around Masses and parish events. Check the parish website before travelling, keep quiet inside and do not photograph during services without permission. Combine the visit with a walk around the market square and the town’s historic remains.