It is a valuable testimony to the multicultural heritage of Greater Poland. The oldest element of the original interior fittings of the church is the Rococo main altar from the 2nd half of the 18th century; it used to be an object combining the forms and functions of an altar and an ambo, however, it was modified in 1945.

History

Batorowo used to be a private village; it was mentioned in written records for the first time in 1579. In 1593, it was owned by Filip Kleist, then — by the Osten-Sacken family, and subsequently — by the Götzendorff-Grabowski and the Brachvogel families. The church, replacing an older building, was built in the years 1783-1786 as an Evangelical church. It was founded by the contemporary owners of the village, the Osten-Sacken family. In the late 19th century, the church underwent full-scale renovations; it was probably then that the brick south porch was constructed. The building has been used as a Catholic church since 1945. The side galleries were dismantled and the wood shingles covering the roof were replaced then. The church was dedicated on 14 July 1946. Since 1955, it has been a filial church of the Parish of St Catherine in Lipka. Renovation works were carried out in the years 1996-2002. In 2012, the roof covering was replaced with new beaver tail tiles and a fire alarm system was installed.

Description

The church is situated in the central part of Batorowo, by a local road. Its chancel is oriented towards the north. The church is surrounded by a former graveyard enclosed with a brick openwork wall. Opposite the church, there is a small wooden bell tower from the 18th century. A stone commemorating Pope John Paul II was placed by the bell tower in 2007.

The aisleless church has a rectangular floor plan; the chancel terminates in a semi-hexagon. A quadrangular tower rises above the roof. A small rectangular porch adjoins the nave on the south side. The nave is covered with a tall gable roof; the much lower porch also has a small gable roof. The rear section of the chancel is covered with a three-pitched roof. The entire building is dominated by a tall, two-storeyed tower topped with a Baroque roof.

The church has a wooden frame structure with brick infill, resting on a stone wall base. Both the interior walls and the exterior brick infill are covered with plaster. The tower roof is made of sheet metal and the other roofs are covered with roof tiles. Inside, there is a wooden ceiling.

The exterior wall design is based on the contrast between the dark timber frame and the white, plastered brick infill. The main entrance opening, located in the porch, is headed by a segmental arch; the windows, framed by profiled surrounds, are rectangular. The porch walls are faced with red brick. The south gable and the tower walls are covered with vertically positioned weatherboards.

The interior is divided by means of two rows of posts supporting crossbeams, which used to support matronaea running along the walls (only the southern matroneum still exists today). There are traces of old paintings on the walls and the ceiling.

The oldest element of the original interior fittings is the Rococo main altar from the 2nd half of the 18th century; it used to be an object combining the forms and functions of an altar and an ambo, however, it was modified in 1945. Currently, there is a separate, free-standing ambo in the church. The central field of the altar incorporates a modern painting of the Good Shepherd.

The church can be visited from the outside and — by prior arrangement — also inside.

More information, including the Holy Mass schedule, is available on the website of the Bydgoszcz Diocese: www.diecezjabydgoszcz.pl and on the website of the parish: www.parafialipka.cba.pl

compiled by Krzysztof Jodłowski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Poznan, O4-11-2015.

Bibliography

• Brykowski R., Wielkopolskie kościoły drewniane, Poznań 2001, s. 130.
• Callier E., Powiat nakielski w XVI stuleciu : szkic geograficzno-historyczny, Poznań 1886, s. 4
• Drewniane kościoły w Wielkopolsce, koncepcja, teksty i wybór fotografii P. Maluśkiewicz, Poznań 2004, s. 13-14.
• Ptaszyńska D., Zabytki powiatu złotowskiego, w: Ziemia złotowska, red. W. Wrzesiński, Gdańsk 1969, s. 256.