Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Krakow
Church of Peter and Paul from the cathedral. Photo by Stuart Jenkins.
View of the impressive Baroque facade. Photo © Zuzana Bohackova.
Statues of the 12 Apostles. Photo © Zuzana Bohackova.
Imposing Baroque apostles and facade. Photo by Christopher Walker.
A closer look at the white stone facade. Photo by Christopher Walker.
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.
| Names: | Kosciól swietego Piotra i Pawla; Church of Sts. Peter and Paul |
| Type of site: | Jesuit church |
| Faith: | Roman Catholic (Jesuit order) |
| Status: | Active |
| Dates: | 17th century |
| Architecture: | Baroque |
| Location: | Grodzka 54, Krakow, Poland |
| Phone: | 012/422-65-73 |
Map
Location map and satellite view of the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Krakow. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Krakow Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Frommer's Eastern Europe, 1st ed. (April 2007).
- Fodor's Poland, 1st. ed. (May 2007).
- Churches - Krakow Info
