Sanctuary of St Anthony in Koziegłówki

The image of St Anthony in Koziegłówki was painted in Rome and blessed by Pope Pius V in 1568. It reached this village in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland in the 17th century and now hangs in a church that looks more like an Italian basilica than a village parish. The Church of St Anthony of Padua was built in 1903–1908 in Italian Renaissance style and has been a sanctuary since 1998.

History: a painting older than the church

The parish lies in the former Duchy of Siewierz, and the first record of it dates from 1325. According to the parish history, after the miraculous image arrived in the 17th century a wooden chapel was built for it, followed by a brick one in 1662. A confraternity of St Anthony was founded in 1681, and the chapel was enlarged in 1706 and furnished throughout the 18th century.

The present church was designed by Hugo Kudera, with plans by engineer Józef Pomianowski. Bishop Augustyn Łosiński blessed it in 1910. Many furnishings were moved here from the demolished church of 1603 and the chapel of 1662. On 13 June 1998 Archbishop Stanisław Nowak granted the church the title of sanctuary.

What to see

• The tower with a colonnade on the façade, topped by a gallery and a cupola with a cross – a landmark in the landscape.
• The interior – three naves on a Latin-cross plan, divided by ten pillars, with arcades, cornices and pilasters with rich capitals.
• The late Baroque marble altar of 1762 with the miraculous image of St Anthony and silver-plated votive offerings from the 17th to 19th centuries.
• The high altar of polished red marble in the shape of a table, with figures of St Nicholas and St Adalbert from the old church.
• Portraits of Kraków bishops from the 18th century: Konstanty Felicjan Szaniawski and Stanisław Kostka Załuski.

Tripto tip

About half an hour is enough for the church; spend most of it at the side altar with the image and votive offerings. Koziegłówki lies in the Koziegłowy district of Myszków County, so it fits easily into a tour of the Jura region. It is a working parish church – ask the parish about opening times outside Mass.