Romanesque Church of St John the Baptist, Siewierz

In the cemetery in Siewierz stands the little stone Church of St John the Baptist – one of the oldest churches in Poland. It was probably built in 1144 or 1164, and the magnate Piotr Włostowic is regarded as its founder. The building measures just 6 × 9 m, yet its walls hold almost 900 years of history: from a stronghold that pre-dates the Tatar raids to a bishops' synod and a post-war reconstruction.

History: the church left on the sidelines

In the 12th century the church stood at the heart of an important market settlement. After the Tatar raid of 1259 the settlement was moved, and in 1276 a new town was founded elsewhere, with a new Church of St Matthias and a castle. St John's remained a parish church until the 15th century, then became a filial church, and since the early 19th century it has served as a cemetery chapel. On 6 July 1233 a synod of Polish bishops met here. After a fire the vault collapsed; only in 1639 did an unknown benefactor shore up the walls with buttresses, tie them with iron and add a flat ceiling and a porch. In the 1950s the original appearance was restored: the buttresses were removed, the roof was covered with shingles and the vault was rebuilt.

What to see

• Sandstone ashlar walls and the semicircular apse, both roofs covered with shingles (last re-roofed in 1993).
• Windows like arrow slits: only four of them, 15 cm wide and 145 cm high, plus a single small door. In times of attack the church could shelter the people of the stronghold.
• A Burgundian vault – a barrel vault with a transverse arch, unusual for Romanesque architecture in Poland.
• Fragments of two-layer 12th-century wall paintings in the apse, with Maiestas Domini scenes, and traces of a western gallery from which the castellan or duke attended Mass.

Did you know?

Piotr Włostowic was palatine to Bolesław III Wrymouth – the second most powerful man in the realm. Tradition credits him with founding around 70 churches. After the duke's death he fell out with his eldest son Władysław, who had him blinded and his tongue cut out. Together with the St Nicholas Rotunda in Cieszyn, the Siewierz church counts among the oldest architectural monuments in Poland.

Tripto tips

The church stands at ul. Żwirki i Wigury 16, inside the cemetery, and you can see it from outside during the day. The interior is not regularly open, so if you want to see the wall paintings, ask at the parish in advance. Allow 20–30 minutes for a visit. It combines well with a walk around Siewierz market square and a visit to the nearby bishops' castle.