It is a single-pillar church erected under the influence of a workshop entrusted with projects founded by Casimir the Great.

History

It is suspected that the present church in Chybice was created ca. 1362 and was founded by canons of Cracow, brothers Święsław and Maciej. In 1370, they made and endowment for the parish functioning at the church. The donation was approved in 1374 by bishop of Cracow Florian. Before 1617 and in the 1st half of the 18th century, the church was renovated a number of times. In ca. 1796, a tower was added to the church, financed by Jan Nepomucen Karwicki, owner of the village. In 1841 and in the early 20th century, the building was thoroughly renovated. In 1909, Stefan Szyller presented a design for its extension (not implemented). Before 1931, the church was adjoined by a brick porch. In 1940, a vestibule was built to the sacristy, and the interior of the church was covered with figural wall painting. In 1970-82 and 2002, thorough conservation and restoration works were carried out (among other things, plasterwork and installations were replaced). In 2011, the church wall was renovated.

Description

The complex of parish church in Chybice is located on a hill, in the eastern part of the village, on an irregular, heptagonal square. It is comprised of a Gothic church in the middle of the site, a cemetery, and a stone fence from the 19th/20th century. The church is oriented and comprised of a single-pillar nave with buttresses from the west, and a narrower and lower presbytery with a straight ending section, which is also supported by buttresses. The northern wall of the presbytery is adjoined by a square sacristy preceded by an elongated vestibule. By the nave, on the west, there is a square tower overlooking the entire complex, with quadrangular avant-corps overlooking the stairs, and from the south, a rectangular vestibule. The church is made of split sandstone and brick, and entirely plastered. It is covered by a gable roof (over the nave, presbytery, and porch), and a shed roof (over the sacristy and closet), and a hip roof (over the tower). Among plain façades of the buildings, pierced with deeply splayed windows, the eastern façade of the presbytery with pointed-arch blind windows in its top section is worth particular attention. Inside, in the middle of the nave, there is an octagonal pillar (with a high plinth and profiled base), supporting cross-rib vaulting (in two western bays), and featuring tripartite elements (in the eastern part). Other parts of the church are covered with a cross-rib vaulting (presbytery with relief supports), double barrel vaulting (ground floor of the tower), and barrel vaulting (sacristy). Entrances to the nave are emphasised by stone portals with inscriptions (at the ground floor of the tower with the date 1710, and inside the porch with dates 1362 and 1617). Moreover, the entrance to the sacristy from the presbytery is emphasised by a pointed-arch portal with Gothic door. Fittings of the church are modest, and their elements worth attention include: Mannerist main altar from the 1st half of the 17th century with a painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in a gilded "dress" originating from the early 18th century, late-Baroque side altars from the 2nd half of the 18th century (with paintings of the 18th century), an ambo from the 1st half of the 18th century, and a stone holy water font with late-Gothic features.  The tower contains a bell of 1565 with an image of Jesus Christ on a cross. The cemetery (currently unused) does not have visible funerary elements in the form of gravestones. Its area is delimited by a stone fencing acting as a retaining wall for the hill, with three gates and stairs on the axis of the presbytery.

The historic building is accessible to visitors. It may be visited upon prior telephone appointment.

Compiled by Łukasz Piotr Młynarski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Kielce, 28.10.2014.

Bibliography  

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