It represents an example of the Baroque wooden architecture erected in the first half of the 17th century.

History

The first written mention of the village comes form 1413. In the 15th century Stanisław of Drogiszka was an owner of the village. From the 16th century it belonged to the Narzymski family, coat of arms Dołęga. From the 18th century the village was owned by the Zieliński family, coat of arms Świnka. Vast lands near Strzegów belonged to that family.

The Holy Cross Church was erected in 1635 (two other dates are mentioned in the source literature: 1644 and 1668). In the inspection records of 1776 it was referred to as “the St Roch chapel.” It remains unknown when the dedication to the “Holy Cross” was changed (the feature was also referred to as the “Sanctuary of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross”). Major refurbishment of the temple was carried out in 1933, when a new roof was installed. Subsequent renovation works were carried out in the years 1950-1953 and at the turn of the 21st century. Currently, it functions as a filial church of the St Nicholas parish in Niedzbórz.

Description

The church is located to the south-east of the village, on a natural elevation of the land. The temple is surrounded by a 5-hectare church park with numerous old trees. Next to the church a roofed field altarpiece was built, along with a cross and a monument commemorating the 400th anniversary of documenting the cult of healing properties of a nearby water spring (1598-1998) as well as the Stations of the Cross with 14 crosses.

The church is oriented towards the east, has a log timber structure reinforced with vertical supports. On the outside it features a decorative board-and-batten cladding The nave is rectangular with a narrower chancel terminating in a straight arch. A sacristy terminating in a semi-hexagon was added to the east of the chancel. To the west, above the main entrance to the nave, a tower on a square floor plan was added (with a post structure, crowned with a sheet metal cupola with a cross), preceded by a wide, pronounced arcade. There are separate three-sided roofs over the nave and the chancel and a five-sided roof over the sacristy. Ale roofs are clad in wood shingles. Over the nave, there is a quadrangular steeple with sheet metal cladding and a bulbous cupola with a crucifix. The interior of the temple features a single nave and is covered with a flat ceiling. A choir gallery is supported by two profiled posts with braces and an openwork balustrade. The most valuable element of the fixtures and fittings is the “Transfiguration of Christ” painting from the 17th century, situated in the upper part of the main altarpiece. Moreover, in its central part the altarpiece contains a contemporary crucifix as well as a Mannerist tabernacle.

The building is accessible to visitors during masses and following previous arrangements with the parish priest in Niedzbórz.

Author of the note Jerzy Szałygin, National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Regional Branch in Warsaw 11-04-2018

Bibliography

• Borowski J., Kościółek Św. Krzyża w Drogiszce. Dzieje niezwykłego sanktuarium, Nasze Korzenie 5, 2013, p. 31-34; http://mazowsze.hist.pl/39/Nasze_Korzenie/998/2013/36461/
• Record sheet of monuments of architecture: Kościół filialny p.w. Św. Krzyża, prepared by Janusz Maraśkiewicz, 1999.
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce, vol. X: Dawne województwo warszawskie, issue 1: Ciechanów i okolice, Warsaw 1977, p. 15.
• The Holy Cross church in Drogiszka; http://skarbiecmazowiecki.pl/obiekty/kosciol-pw-sw-krzyza-nasielski-niedzborz-drogiszka-69,1.html
• The Holy Cross church in Drogiszka; http://www.mazowieckiszlaktradycji.com/poi-lista/kosciol-pw-swietego-krzyza-w-drogiszce/?thematicPathId=1264
• Mazowieckie kościoły drewniane, Jezierska B., Nadolny R. (eds.), Warsaw 2009, p. 25.
• Wiśniewski J., Szałygin J., Materiały do katalogu drewnianego budownictwa sakralnego na Mazowszu, Mazowsze no. 3/94, p. 27.