Churches & monasteries

Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Reszel

A few steps from the castle of the Warmian bishops stands the Gothic church of Saints Peter and Paul — the parish church of Reszel from the 14th century. Its 50-metre tower now serves as a viewing point over the town and the hills of Warmia.

From foundation to fires

Construction probably began after 1360 with the lower part of the western tower. After partial destruction in the fire of 1474, the rebuild brought a new eastern gable and a star vault over the nave, and around 1500 the tower was raised. The consecration was performed on 3 April 1580 by Bishop Marcin Kromer. The town fire of 1806 damaged the church again — the rebuilt temple was re-consecrated in 1817.

The Hohenzollern altarpiece

The present furnishing is mainly 19th-century. The main altar, made in 1820–1822, was endowed by Józef von Hohenzollern and created by sculptor Wilhelm Biereichel and carpenter Andrzej Thiel. Inside are two baptismal fonts: a Gothic one by the entrance and a 19th-century one of a curious shape.

A rectory from 1444

Next door stands the old rectory, most probably from 1444 — the oldest unfortified residential building in Reszel and the oldest rectory in Warmia. Ignacy Krasicki, brother of the local parish priest, used to visit it.

In practice

The viewing tower is open daily 9:00–17:00; the ticket costs PLN 4 (reduced PLN 2). The church is best visited together with the castle (100 m) — and Reszel is a good base for trips to Święta Lipka (5 km), Kętrzyn (15 km) and the Wolf's Lair (23 km).