Churches & monasteries

Holy Trinity Church in Tykocin

The late-Baroque Holy Trinity church closes the eastern side of Tykocin's market square, forming the town's most recognisable silhouette on the Narew river. The temple, founded by Hetman Jan Klemens Branicki, was built from 1742, with the towers finished at the end of 1748; the construction is linked to the work of architect Jan Henryk Klemm, and pastoral care was taken over by the Missionaries.

The paravan façade

The church is basilica-shaped with a grand front elevation known as a screen façade: towers on both sides are joined to the nave by arches and arcades, finished in the roof zone with intricate sculpture. The pale-yellow clay plaster and red roof are typical of the region.

Interior of 1749

The walls carry wall paintings from 1749, and the centre of the presbytery is a gilded main altar in the Baroque-Rococo style; add six gilded side altars, Baroque confessionals, a pulpit and a baptismal font. On the walls hang portraits of the founders — Jan Klemens Branicki and Izabela née Poniatowska — and the gallery holds Rococo organs from around 1760.

The chalice of John Paul II

The church keeps a chalice from which John Paul II celebrated Mass in Łomża in 1991. Since 2 April 2005 it has been used during the greatest ceremonies.

In practice

The church stands at the market square (11 Listopada street 2). Nearby: the Great Synagogue (0.5 km), the castle of Tykocin (0.6 km), Pentowo — the European village of storks (2.5 km) — and the Waniewo–Śliwno footbridge over the Narew (14 km).