St Giles' Church in Kraków

St Giles' Church stands at Grodzka 67, at the foot of Wawel Hill, and is among the oldest churches in Kraków. The present Gothic building dates from the first half of the 14th century, but tradition links the origins of the church with the end of the 11th century.

From Władysław Herman to the Gothic

According to tradition the founder was Duke Władysław Herman, who was thereby to give thanks for the birth of his son Bolesław the Wrymouth. However, no Romanesque relics have been found under the present building, so some researchers believe that the dedication may originally have belonged to the Church of St Andrew. The Gothic church was built in the first half of the 14th century. It was first cared for by the Benedictines, then by the Dominicans. In the 17th and 18th centuries further elements were added to the body of the church.

Brick and a single nave

The church is of brick, single-naved and oriented. Archaeological research in 2015 uncovered relics of the foundation of a central pillar, which indicates that the original Gothic church had two aisles supported by one column. Inside, among other things, there survive choir stalls of marble and limestone, from the 16th-century tomb of St Hyacinth, a late Gothic crucifix in the tympanum and the coats of arms of the Tęczyński family from the 16th century on the vault. The church has three altars and a seven-stop organ with one manual.

The demolition dispute and the fate of the surroundings

Around 1905 the Kraków City Council proposed demolishing the dilapidated buildings adjoining the church. This provoked protests from defenders of monuments, among them Stanisław Wyspiański and Leon Wyczółkowski. The dispute ended with the intervention of the Central Commission in Vienna, which reversed the decision on demolition. During the German occupation, as part of the rebuilding of the area around Wawel Hill, two large townhouses on Grodzka Street neighbouring the church were pulled down.

Traces of the 20th century

In the 1980s the church was renovated. In 1987 a plaque was placed in it commemorating the scouts' oath taken during the pilgrimage of John Paul II, and in 1990 the Katyn Cross was erected here. The church has been entered in the heritage register since 21 March 1935.

Nearby

It is about 100 m from the Wawel Royal Castle, and about 200 m along the same street to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Practical information

• Address: Grodzka 67, Kraków (Old Town), at the start of Grodzka Street on the Wawel side.
• Opening hours and Masses: check with the parish before your visit, because the church is open mainly during services.
• Entering an active church requires suitable dress and silence during the liturgy.