Churches & monasteries

Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist in Baranów Sandomierski

The church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist stands at Kościuszki 3 in Baranów Sandomierski, a small town on the Vistula known above all for its late-Renaissance castle in the palazzo in fortezza style. The church itself has an equally rich history — its masonry body was raised in 1607.

From the Baranowski to the Leszczyński family

The parish probably dates back to the 12th century. In 1440 Jan Baranowski funded a wooden church of St John the Baptist. After the town was taken over by the Leszczyński family — Rafał Leszczyński bought Baranów in 1568 — the church was converted at the end of the 16th century into a Calvinist place of worship dedicated to St James. The present masonry church was built in 1607, funded by Jan Leszczyński, and in 1660 it returned to the Catholics, receiving its present dedication.

Stucco and Raphael

Inside, the barrel vaults with lunettes are covered with a network of decorative stucco ribs. You will find a late-Renaissance baptismal font and portals, baroque altars and an 18th-century copy of Raphael's painting „The Holy Family".

Practical information

Baranów Sandomierski lies on voivodeship road 985 between Tarnobrzeg and Mielec. The church stands a few steps from the castle and the market square, so it is best to combine the two visits; the interior is accessible during services.