Holy Trinity Church in Grębień

From outside it is a modest, weatherboarded little church hidden among trees in its old churchyard. Inside, though, the ceiling is covered with Renaissance paintings from 1520–1531, where alongside religious scenes you will find the Jagiellonian eagle and two musicians in period dress – secular motifs that are exceptional for a church of that time. The Holy Trinity Church in Grębień, dating from around 1500, is one of the most valuable historic buildings in the Wieluń area.

History: a chapel in an archbishop's village

Grębień belonged to the Archbishops of Gniezno as early as 1299, and in 1470 a chapel subordinate to the parish of Kadłub is recorded here. The present church was built in the late 15th or early 16th century – the dating rests mainly on studies of its paintings. The Pątnów municipality states that it was most likely founded by Archbishop Jan Łaski. The church probably had two dedications: a document of 1522 calls it St Hedwig's, a description of 1668 Holy Trinity.

In 1719 the Gniezno cathedral chapter gave the church's land to the parish priest of Kadłub on condition that he kept the building in repair, and a document of 1720 is the first to mention the paintings. The belfry was replaced in 1810–1816, a new porch was added in 1900 and the sacristy around 1914. Since 1904 the church has been a filial church of the parish in Dzietrzniki. The paintings were restored in 1952–1958, and in 1998–2001 a major renovation replaced the sill beams and the entire roof covering with new split aspen shingles.

What to see

The building is a textbook example of the so-called Wieluń type: a log-built nave close to a square, a slightly narrower chancel, a single shingle roof and a tapering tower on the west side. Inside are two layers of paintings:

• the walls, painted around 1500 – scenes of the Passion arranged in horizontal bands in late-medieval fashion,
• the nave ceiling, with dense scrolling foliage framing figurative scenes, founders' coats of arms, the Jagiellonian eagle and two musicians – a courtly one and a common one,
• the chancel ceiling, divided into painted coffers with rosettes, with the Holy Trinity in the centre and the Poraj and Leliwa coats of arms,
• the 16th-century triptych on the high altar with carved figures of the Virgin and Child, St Barbara and St Nicholas,
• carved door frames in the shape of an ogee ("donkey's back") arch.

Interesting facts

According to tradition, the triptych was the field altar of Grand Hetman Jan Zamoyski at the Battle of Byczyna in 1588, and Hołubek, commander of the miners from Olkusz who fell in that battle, was said to be buried in the church – a local story, not documented fact. Archaeologists have also found a Lusatian culture cremation cemetery from the 9th–7th centuries BC in the village.

Tripto tip

The interior is usually locked. Your best chance is on Sunday after the 10:00 Mass; on other days, arrange a visit with the parish priest in Dzietrzniki (tel. +48 43 886 56 17). Entry is free, and 30 minutes is enough to take in the paintings – bring binoculars or a camera with a zoom, as the best scenes are on the ceiling. Grębień lies about 9 km south of Wieluń in the Pątnów municipality; the church stands in the eastern part of the village on a side road towards the hamlet of Budziaki. Other Wieluń-type churches nearby include those in Popowice, Kadłub, Łaszew and Wierzbie.