Sanctuary of Koziegłówki

In Koziegłówki, a village in the commune of Koziegłowy in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, stands the church of Saint Anthony of Padua — a sanctuary distinguished by architecture rarely seen in the Jura. The church was built in the years 1903–08 in the style of the Italian Renaissance and is marked by a lofty tower with a colonnade. The village itself was, after all, a settlement of the bishopric of Kraków in the Duchy of Siewierz already at the end of the 16th century.

The image of the saint and the marble altars

Inside, the central place is taken by the painting of the patron of the church, painted in Rome in 1568 and blessed by Pope Pius V. It is framed by a late-baroque altar of black marble, and the main altar was made of red marble; at its sides stand the figures of Saint Nicholas and Saint Adalbert, transferred from the old church. The sanctuary keeps relics of Saint Anthony, and among the historic furnishings the Renaissance and baroque monstrances, chalices, crosses and censers stand out.

In practice

Many elements of the furnishing come from times earlier than the church itself, so the visit is best combined with a moment of quiet study of the details. Koziegłówki lie near Koziegłowy, by the roads of the southern Jura, and a visit to the church fits well into a tour of the sanctuaries and monuments of the region.