The metropolitan city of

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

, former

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, is known as the city of churches. The abundance of

landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or f ...

, historic

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

churches along with the plenitude of monasteries and convents earned the city a countrywide reputation as the "Northern Rome" in the past. The churches of Kraków comprise over 120 Roman Catholic places of worship, of which over 60 were built in the 20th century.Józef Szymon Wroński
The churches of Krakow.
''Archidiecezja Krakowska'' (Internet Archive). They remain the centers of religious life for the local population and are attended regularly, while some are often crowded on Sundays. The number of churches in Kraków still increases. Many of the oldest churches are architectural monuments of Poland's history and culture. They often house religious icons and artifacts revered for their artistic and spiritual value.Marek Strzala

''Krakow Info.com''. Retrieved .

Prominent examples

Among the many historic churches in Kraków, the most famous include the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (Kościół św. Piotra i Pawła) on Grodzka Street, the neighbouring St. Andrew's Church (Kościół św. Andrzeja), The Pauline Church at Skałka (Kościół Paulinow na Skałce), St. Catherine's Church (Kościół św. Katarzyny), the Dominican Church and Monastery (Zespoły klasztorne Dominikanów) and the nearby Monastery-Church of the

Franciscan Order The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

(Franciszkani). Travel to Poland, Krakow.
Visit.pl (Internet Archive). Retrieved . Most

churches of special significance for the Poles are located in the Kraków Old Town (Stare Miasto) especially along the Royal coronation route traversed by early Polish monarchs. The

Wawel Cathedral The Wawel Cathedral ( pl, Katedra Wawelska), formally titled the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus, is a Roman Catholic cathedral situated on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1000 years old, it is part of the ...

on the

Wawel Hill 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 ...

dating back to the 14th century includes a

Sigismund Chapel Sigismund's Chapel ( pl, kaplica Zygmuntowska) is a royal chapel of the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland. Built as a funerary chapel for the last members of the Jagiellonian Dynasty, it has been hailed by many art historians as "the most beautifu ...

– a masterpiece of Polish Renaissance architecture – as well as the Zygmunt bell of 1520, one of the most magnificent bells ever made. The St. Mary's Basilica built in the 14th century at the Main Square is famous for its largest Gothic altarpiece in the world. Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi built in 1237–69 is located on Franciszkanska 2 street opposite the Archbishop Palace. It features

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

windows by the Young Poland's nominal artist

Stanisław Wyspiański Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański (; 15 January 1869 – 28 November 1907) was a Polish playwright, painter and poet, as well as interior and furniture designer. A patriotic writer, he created a series of symbolic, national dramas withi ...

. Church of St. Wojciech at the Main Square (Old Town), with a Baroque dome, is one of the oldest stone churches in Poland, with an almost one-thousand-year-old history. Along the Royal Road, there's also the Romanesque St. Andrew's Church at Grodzka street, built in the 11th century, featuring the 17th-century Baroque interior. Right next to it, there's the striking Baroque Church of St. St. Peter and Paul with oversized stone statues of 12 Apostles in the front – the most revered

Baroque church Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means ...

of the 17th century behind

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

’s del Gesu.

St. Florian's Church The Collegiate Church of St. Florian ( pl, Kościół św. Floriana w Krakowie) is a historic church in Kraków, Poland. It stands at the northern end of Matejko Square and the former centre of the mediaeval city of Kleparz, now a district of Kr ...

on Warszawska street is where the Royal Road begins. It is a

Collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by ...

and a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be cons ...

for the relics of

St. Florian Florian ( la, Florianus; 250 – 304 AD) was a Christians, Christian holy man, and the patron saint of Linz, Austria; chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighting, firefighters. His feast day is 4 May. Florian is also the patron saint of Upper ...

, the

Patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of Poland. Other notable churches are the Baroque Church of St. Anne's, a

built 1689–1705 by Tylman van Gameren; the Church of St. Barbara's with Baroque interior, at pl. Mariacki square, next to the Basilica of the Virgin Mary's; and, the Baroque Church of St. Bernard's next to

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 ...

, with many paintings. The notable old churches outside of the Old Town include the 13th-century Gothic Basilica of the Holy Trinity at the Dominikanski square; and, the Church of Corpus Christi in

Kazimierz Kazimierz (; la, Casimiria; yi, קוזמיר, Kuzimyr) is a historical district of Kraków and Kraków Old Town, Poland. From its inception in the 14th century to the early 19th century, Kazimierz was an independent city, a royal city of the Cr ...

district, which dates back to mid-14th century and features an impressive

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...

built in 1634.Marek Strzala
Stroll through the historic Kazimierz area.
''Krakow Info.com'' (Internet Archive). Retrieved . The Church of St. Casimir the Prince located at ul. Reformacka 4 street in the Old Town district (Stare Miasto), Kraków Mummies. Mummified 16th Century Monks
(adjacent to Baroque Franciscan Monastery) with the

catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...

in the

crypt A crypt (from Latin '' crypta'' " vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a c ...

, contains some of the most secret places in the city. The crypt holds almost 1,000 mummified bodies put on public display but once a year on

All Souls Day All Souls' Day, also called ''The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed'', is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by certain Christian denominations on 2 November. Through prayer, intercessions, alms and ...

. The unique climatic conditions found in the basement caused the bodies of the dead to undergo the process of natural mummification and are in excellent state still toda
''(see: picture gallery)''
The

High Gothic High Gothic is a particularly refined and imposing style of Gothic architecture that appeared in northern France from about 1195 until 1250. Notable examples include Chartres Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, Amiens Cathedral, Beauvais Cathedral, and ...

Church of St. Catherine's in

– next to Skałka – features a 3-story high Baroque altarpiece; the Romanesque Church of the Holiest Savior at Bronisławy street was rebuilt 1670–1673. The Gothic Church of the Holy Cross at pl. Sw. Ducha square has Baroque altarpieces; the Church of the Lord's Transfiguration, built 1714–1727, is also found in the Old Town; the Gothic Church of St. Mark at the corner of Sławkowska and Marka streets has a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

interior. The Church of the Mother of God, the Queen of Poland in Bienczyce district of Nowa Huta, an ultra-modern church built in the shape of the

Noah's Ark Noah's Ark ( he, תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: ''Tevat Noaḥ'')The word "ark" in modern English comes from Old English ''aerca'', meaning a chest or box. (See Cresswell 2010, p.22) The Hebrew word for the vessel, ''teva'', occurs twice in ...

, with a lunar stone in its

Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...

brought back from the Moon by American astronauts. Other notable churches include the Church of St. Nicholas with a 15th-century altarpiece; the Church of St. Norbert with a

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

altarpiece from mid-18th century; the Church of St. Theresa with its 14th-century statue of the

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

; the Church of the Virgin Mary's Annunciation with an Italian-Baroque interior circa 1675 and the adjacent

Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Ca ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

. Beside the predominantly Roman Catholic churches active in the city, there's a small, but visible representation of a number of other religious denominations, among them: the Lutheran Congregation at the Church of St. Martin's (św. Marcina) built in the years 1637-1640, located at 58 Grodzka street; the Evangelical Church 'Mission of Grace' at Lubomirskiego 7a, and the Methodist Church at Długa 3
Christ the Saviour Presbyterian Church
at Smolki 8, the Orthodox Church at Szpitalna 24
Baptist Church 'Bethel' (PL: 'Betel')
at 12/3 Zacisze; Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at Wiślna 11, Pentecostal Church 'Bethlehem' at Lubomirskiego 7a; Seventh-day Adventists at Lubelska 25 street; and a small Muslim community without a mosque, gathering at the Studium Jezyka Polskiego of the Krakow Polytechnic at Skarzynskiego 1 street.Marek Strzala
Non-Catholic Faiths and Denominations in Krakow
2001- 2009 at Krakow Info city page

Picture gallery

File:Kraków, Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia - fotopolska.eu (214721).jpg, Divine Mercy Sanctuary File:Bazylika Mariacka Kraków.JPG, St. Mary Basilica, Rynek File:StMarysBasilicaInterior.JPG, St. Mary's Basilica, interior File:Kosciol Marka Krakow.jpg, St. Mark's Church File:Church of St. Barbara in Kraków.JPG, St. Barbara's Church File:Church of Transfiguration, Kraków.jpg, Church of Transfiguration, at ul. Pijarska File:Kraków - Wawel Cathedral 01.jpg,

File:Kalplica wawel.jpg, Also:

at the

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

File:Church of Blessed Virgin Maria from Lourdes 4.jpg,

Church of the Holy Virgin Mary of Lourdes The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary of Lourdes ( pl, Kościół Najświętszej Maryi Panny z Lourdes w Krakowie) is a Roman Catholic church in Kraków, Poland, dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. It was founded by the Lazarists, and built in 1892–1 ...

File:Krakow kosciol 20071229 1246.jpg, St. Andrew Church File:Kosciol Wroblowice.jpg, Parish Church of Transfiguration in Wróblowice File:Krakow kosciol 20070929 1118.jpg, SS. Peter and Paul File:St. Adalbert's church, Kraków.JPG, Church of St. Wojciech File:20180114 Kościół św. Floriana w Krakowie 0104 DxO.jpg, St. Florian Church File:Krakau - Arka Pana2.jpg, Our Lady Queen of Poland (Arka Pana), Nowa Huta File:Corpus Cristi Church Cracow.JPG, Corpus Christi Basilica File:Krakow Boze Cialo-2.jpg, Corpus Christi, interior File:Krakow Podgorze church 20070814 1755.jpg, St Joseph's Church, in Podgórze File:Krakov, Stare Miasto, kostel sv. Anny.JPG, Church of St. Anne File:Kraków Kościół franciszkanów2.jpg,

St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

File:Kraków - Church of St. Francis - Stained glass 01.jpg, Wyspiański's work in St. Francis Church File:Krypta Zasłużonych na Skałce.jpg, The Crypt at Skałka File:Krakow church 20070805 0912.jpg, Basilica of Jesus’ Heart File:Kopieckosciuszki.jpg, B. BB. Bronisława Chapel File:Krakow kosciol sw Katarzyny 20070930 1522.jpg, St. Catherine Church File:Kraków - Trinity Church 01.jpg, Trinity Church

List of churches of Kraków in alphabetical order

''For list of churches by street name, please use table-sort buttons.'' The following list contains the complete list of active

churches in and around the city of Kraków, including churches which were Roman Catholic in the past, and today are under the care of other religious denominations.

List of inactive churches

''For list of churches arranged by street name, please use table-sort buttons.''

Notes and references

*
Historia, opis i galeria zdjęć kościołów Krakowa
*

*
Nieistniejące kościoły Krakowa
* Michał Rożek, B. Gondkowa, ''Leksykon kościołów Krakowa'', Kraków 2003, {{DEFAULTSORT:Churches Of Krakow Buildings and structures in Kraków Christianity in Kraków Krakow

Prominent examples

Picture gallery

List of churches of Kraków in alphabetical order

List of inactive churches

See also

Notes and references