Church of the Holy Cross and St Philip Neri in Tarnów

The Church of the Holy Cross and St Philip Neri in Tarnów is a neo-Romanesque parish church in the Tarnów South deanery of the Diocese of Tarnów. It was built by the Oratorians in 1878-1879 and stands near Tarnów Cathedral.

History of construction

The design was made by the architect Karol Polityński, and the work was directed by the engineer Łupkiewicz. The church was consecrated in 1879 by the Bishop of Tarnów, Józef Alojzy Pukalski. In 1883 the chancel was added, which had not been carried out at first. In 1905 a new sacristy was built, and the old one was turned into the Chapel of Our Lady. In 1966 the interiors were partly rebuilt to a design by Krzysztof Domagalski. The parish at the church was established in 1998.

Architecture

The church is built of brick and plastered. It has a single nave with a short chancel with a three-sided end. On the north side, along the whole nave, runs the Chapel of St Philip Neri, formed from the former sacristy and part of the monastery building, and on the south side a similar Chapel of Our Lady. The nave is covered by a cross vault, and the windows and arcades of the chapels have semicircular heads. The music gallery is of reinforced concrete, built into the interior of the nave.

The facades are decorated with modest frame divisions and arcade friezes. The main portal is set in a triangular surround, with a circular window above it. The gable and mono-pitched roofs are covered with sheet metal.

Practical information

• Location: Tarnów, next to the Cathedral Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tarnów.
• Next door are the Diocesan Museum in Tarnów and the Ludwik Solski Theatre in Tarnów.
• Check service times and the possibility of visiting with the parish. Sightseeing is not advisable during Mass.