Corpus Christi Basilica
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The Corpus Christi Basilica ( Polish: ''Bazylika Bożego Ciała''), located in the Kazimierz district of
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Poland, is a Gothic
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
founded by King
Casimir III the Great Casimir III the Great (; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He also later became King of Ruthenia in 1340, retaining the title throughout the Galicia–Volhynia Wars. He was the last Polish king fr ...
in 1335. It is located on Bożego Ciała Street.


History

The basilica was erected in stages beginning in 1340 until about the mid-15th century. It was intended as a monastery church, which explains the large plot of land on which it stands, and the presence of a monastic cemetery next to it. In 1404 King
Władysław II Jagiełło Jogaila (; 1 June 1434), later Władysław II Jagiełło (),Other names include (; ) (see also Names and titles of Władysław II Jagiełło) was Grand Duke of Lithuania beginning in 1377 and starting in 1386, becoming King of Poland as well. ...
gave it to the Canons Regular of the Lateran, a congregation which he had brought in from
Kłodzko Kłodzko (; ; ; ) is a historic town in south-western Poland, in the region of Lower Silesia. It is situated in the centre of the Kłodzko Valley, on the Eastern Neisse (Nysa Kłodzka) river. Kłodzko is the seat of Kłodzko County (and of the ru ...
.Kraków Travel: Kościół Bożego Ciała
with map, and photographs. ''Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe''. Retrieved October 26, 2011.


Interior

The interior of the church is a mixture of
Polish Gothic The Gothic architecture, Gothic architecture arrived in Poland in the first half of the 13th century with the arrival of the Dominican Order, Dominican and Franciscans, Franciscan orders. The first elements of the new style are evident in the found ...
and impressive Polish Baroque architecture with structural features such as a large gilded Baroque
high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
, a boat-shaped pulpit (1750), and the organ. The church was robbed clean and the interior utterly devastated by soldiers of the 1655 Swedish invasion ( the Deluge), The Basilica of Corpus Christi (Kosciol Bozego Ciala)
with photographs, including opening hours, at ''virtualtourist.com'' which explains the prevalence of Baroque in its current decoration. The church is said to contain one of the most beautiful Baroque choir stalls in Central Europe. Corpus Christi Church (Kościół Bożego Ciała)
including location map by ''Inyourpocket.com'' Bartolommeo Berrecci, the Renaissance artist who designed Sigismund's Chapel at
Wawel The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established o ...
, is buried there. Corpus Christi Basilica houses the largest organs in Krakow. The main instrument was built between 1958 and 1963 using some elements of the old organ dating back to the 1770s. It was designed for 83 pitches and consists of two parts. The main organ placed on the choir and side organs located in the chancel. The organs have a total of 5950 pipes and 25 bells. They have the ability to play works written on an echo basis. The sound of organs 70 meters away from each other gives the listener a unique experience.


See also

* Churches of Kraków


References


External links

{{Commons category, Corpus Christi church in Kraków
Kraków Tourism information about Krakow

Protect Kraków Heritage Campaign

Map: Kraków Heritage Under Threat

Info about Corpus Christi Basilica in Krakow Wiki
15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Poland Gothic architecture in Kraków Roman Catholic churches in Kraków