Churches & monasteries

St. Ladislaus Church in Szydłów

Szydłów, famous for its preserved town walls, owes its parish church to King Casimir the Great himself: the Gothic church of St Ladislaus was raised around 1355 on the site of an older wooden temple. The foundation had a penitential dimension — the king made amends in this way for the murder of canon Marcin Baryczka.

Two naves and Szydłów stone

The church has two naves — a rare layout among Polish parish churches. The window frames, cornices and plinths were made of local sandstone, and the portals of Pińczów stone. In 1630 the church burned down; after the rebuilding only the presbytery retained its original shape.

A defensive tower turned belfry

Next to the church stands an 18th-century belfry — a converted defensive tower, in which gun loopholes are still visible. By the town wall, south of the church, lie the ruins of a Gothic vicarage destroyed in the fighting of 1944.

The road to Santiago

The church lies on the Lesser Poland Way of St James, a revived route from Sandomierz to Tyniec reflecting the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. A single walk around Szydłów takes in the castle, the walls, the parish church and the Way of St James markers.

Practical information

The church stands at Staszowska 15, behind the market square, within the former town walls. The interior is accessible during services, and the exterior with the belfry can be admired at any time.