St John the Evangelist Church in Paczków

St. John the Evangelist's Church in Paczków (say “PATCH-koof”) is a Gothic church that was turned into a fortress in the 16th century, and it still looks the part: a brick hall crowned by a white Renaissance parapet with swallowtail merlons, standing inside one of the best-preserved medieval walled towns in Europe. If you are exploring southwestern Poland, this is the building that makes Paczków's nickname, the “Polish Carcassonne,” feel earned.

Where it is

Paczków is a small town in Opole Province (Opolskie), right on the Czech border, on national road 46 between Nysa and Kłodzko. Wrocław, the nearest major city and airport, is roughly 90 km away, so allow about 1.5 hours by car; Katowice airport is a longer drive of around 2.5 hours. The town also has a railway station with regional services, but connections are limited, so check timetables before you go. Prices in Poland are in złoty (PLN).

A church built for a siege

Construction began in the mid-14th century, most sources say around 1350, funded by Bishop Przecław of Pogorzela of Wrocław; the town belonged to the Wrocław bishops, which explains the church's ambition. A chapel of the Virgin Mary was added in the 15th century, and the tower, partly dismantled in 1429, was rebuilt with a new upper story in 1462.

The defining change came in the 16th century. Fearing an Ottoman invasion, the bishops had the church fortified: the tall roofs were lowered and hidden behind a wall with gun loops, topped by the parapet you see today. The work is attributed to the Italian builder Jakub Parr. A round stone well was dug inside the church so defenders would have water during a long siege, a feature that is extremely rare.

What to see

• The parapet: best seen from a distance, it gives the church the silhouette of a castle.
• The west portal: a pointed Gothic doorway with carved crockets, pinnacles and heraldic reliefs.
• The well in the nave, given an iron superstructure in the 19th century.
• The vaults: star vaults in the nave and a net vault in the chancel, unusual in Silesia.
• The Lady Chapel altar, described as carved from a single block of sandstone.
• The 1882 organ by Schlag & Söhne.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you combine it with the rest of town. The church itself takes 30 to 45 minutes, but the real experience is walking the oval of town walls, about 1,200 m around and up to 7 m high, with its gate towers. The Old Town and its fortifications were declared a Historic Monument of Poland in 2012. Plan two to three hours for the church, walls and market square.

Practical information

This is an active Catholic parish church on Kościelna Street, in the highest part of the Old Town. Entry is free. Check visiting hours before you go (as of October 2026); the most reliable time to find it open is just before or after Mass, and you should not walk around during services. Information on site is in Polish. There are steps up to the west entrance.

Nearby

Don't miss the Gas Industry Museum, housed in a 1902 gasworks and described by the town as the only place in Poland where city-gas production equipment survives intact. The half-timbered Executioner's House near the Nysa Tower and local vineyards round off a visit. Nysa, about 25 minutes away, makes a good second stop.