St. Lawrence Church in Głuchołazy

The twin-towered church of St Lawrence stands almost on the market square of Głuchołazy, at the foot of Góra Parkowa in the Opole region. A document from 1285 mentions the parish and its priest Rudolf, while church building here goes back to a Romanesque church from around 1250, erected under Bishop Thomas I.

A baroque metamorphosis

The present eclectic shape was given to the church in 1729–1731, when the older structure was rebuilt and a fragment of the former west front was incorporated into the new body. The design is attributed to Jan Innocenty Töpper, architect of churches in Głubczyce and Prudnik, among others. A Gothic portal from around 1315, decorated with masks of monks, has survived, and the neo-baroque helmets of the two towers were added at the beginning of the 20th century. Głuchołazy had already been granted parish rights in 1315.

Willmann at van Dyck's easel

Inside you will find as many as eight baroque side altars and a neo-baroque high altar from 1921. The most valuable work is the painting „Lamentation over Christ" from the late 17th century, placed in the altar of Our Lady of Sorrows — a copy of a canvas by Anton van Dyck made in the workshop of Michael Willmann, a famous Silesian baroque painter.

Practical information

The church stands at Kościelna 4, a few steps from the market square and the starting points of the Opawskie Mountains trails. As a parish church it is open mainly during services; otherwise admire the twin-towered façade from the market square.