Church of St Augustine and St John the Baptist in Kraków

The Church of St Augustine and St John the Baptist stands in Zwierzyniec at Tadeusza Kościuszki 88. It is both a parish church and the convent church of the Norbertine Sisters. Together with the adjoining convent it forms the largest historic complex in Kraków after Wawel.

The Norbertine convent in Zwierzyniec

The convent was founded in the second half of the 12th century. It was endowed by Agnes of Babenberg, wife of Duke Władysław II the Exile, who brought the sisters from Doksany in Bohemia. Wikipedia notes that no foundation documents have survived, so the date can only be established approximately. On their website the sisters give two foundations: a ducal one of 1148 at the Church of the Holy Saviour, and a second one, on the Vistula in Zwierzyniec, of 1162, made by Jaksa of Miechów (Jaksa Gryfita).

Destruction and rebuilding

The convent suffered Tatar raids in the 13th century and fires later on. The oldest surviving parts date from the 13th century, among them the Romanesque portal in the porch beneath the tower. The present appearance of the church is the result of a major rebuilding in 1596-1626, when the convent was ruled by Abbess Dorota Kątska and the work was directed by Jan Trewano and Jan Petrini. The complex was also hit several times by floods of the Vistula. The heritage register lists the church as a brick building dated to the mid-17th century.

Interior

The present interior decoration dates from the 18th century. The nave contains Baroque side altars, among them the altar of Blessed Bronisława with a reliquary and a painting, and the chancel is surrounded by a Neoclassical colonnade. The apse shows an image of St John the Baptist. The convent holds a collection of manuscripts and early printed books, as well as textiles and objects of decorative art.

Traditions

The convent is linked with Kraków customs: on Easter Monday a fair called Emaus is held beside it, and during the octave of Corpus Christi the Lajkonik stops here on its procession. Nearby there are also Henryk Jordan Park in Kraków and the National Museum in Kraków.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki 88, Kraków-Zwierzyniec.
• The church is open during services, and the convent is a contemplative order. Check the Norbertine Sisters' website for Mass times and the opening hours of the convent museum.