Sanctuary of Our Lady of Leśniów in Żarki

Among the forests of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, on the edge of Żarki, stands the Pauline monastery complex with the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Leśniów, Patroness of Families. The core of the complex is a church from 1610, built in a Gothic-Renaissance spirit. Its greatest treasure is the Gothic statue of the smiling Madonna, one of the most valued Marian sculptures in Poland, crowned with papal crowns.

History of the monastery complex

The church was built in the early 17th century and combines Gothic forms with Renaissance details. On the northern side of the church a late-Baroque monastery was added, whose construction began in 1755. The four-winged building shows no distinct stylistic features and today houses the Pauline novitiate. This is where the devotion to Our Lady, Patroness of Families, developed, drawing pilgrim families to the site.

Chapels in the forest park

The surroundings of the sanctuary invite a longer walk. Between 1984 and 1986, 15 Rosary chapels were placed in the forest, and in 1994 a free-standing bell tower was built. During the Great Jubilee of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, an open-air altar, a chapel over the stream spring and 14 Stations of the Cross along the monastery wall were added. The path through the chapels combines prayer with a forest walk.

Practical information

The sanctuary stands at ul. Leśniowska 66 in Leśniów, a district of Żarki, on the road across the central part of the Jura. The easiest way to get there is by car through Żarki; visiting the church and walking among the chapels takes about an hour. Leave some time for the forest park surrounding the monastery.