Church of Peter and Paul, Krakow

The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul (Kosciól swietego Piotra i Pawla) in Krakow is a Baroque Jesuit church known best for the statues of the 12 disciples lining the fence at the front.

Commissioned for the Jesuit order, Sts. Peter and Paul was the first baroque church in Krakow. It is one of the most faithful examples of transplanting the architecture of the famous Gesu Church in Rome to foreign soil, with a fine Baroque facade and great dome.

It is said that the Jesuits spent so much money on the ornate white facade and the sculptures that they ran out of money to finish the rest of the building. Indeed, behind the impressive Baroque facade is a church made from ordinary brick.

The stone statues of the 12 Apostles on the fence, looming larger-than-life-size, are replicas of the 18th-century late Baroque originals. The latter can be seen in the side yard.

The interior is not as impressive as the exterior, but worth a look. The crypt contains the sarcophagus of Father Skarga, a famous 17th-century Jesuit preacher.

Right next door is an older and more austere church, the Romanesque Church of St. Andrew.

Another Jesuit church in Krakow is the 14th-century Church of St. Barbara near St. Mary's Church.

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Quick Facts on the Church of Peter and Paul

Site Information
Names:Church of Peter and Paul · Kosciól swietego Piotra i Pawla
Country:Poland
Categories:churches
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:50.056929° N, 19.938850° E
Address:Krakow, Poland
Lodging:View hotels near the Church of Peter and Paul
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

  1. Frommer's Eastern Europe, 1st ed. (April 2007).
  2. Fodor's Poland, 1st. ed. (May 2007).
  3. Churches - Krakow Info

More Information

© One Dimensional
© Zuzana Bohackova
© Zuzana Bohackova
© Christopher Walker
© Christopher Walker

Map of the Church of Peter and Paul, Krakow

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