The church has the status of a regional landmark.

History

The parish in Wąbrzeźno was likely established before 1246 by the bishops of Płock or by the Teutonic Order. In 1251, Bishop Heidenryk funded a wooden collegiate church in Wąbrzeźno, which then burned down during the Prussian uprisings in the years 1260-1274. The current Church of Sts Simon and Jude Thaddaeus, Apostles, was constructed in the years 1323-1349 at the initiative of Bishop Otto. In 1700, it burned down during the town fire and was later reconstructed due to the efforts of Bishop Teodor Potocki. In 1779, a low tower funded by the townsfolk was added on the west side. In 1881, the church was renovated, and in 1902 it underwent thorough reconstruction, which is when the side-aisles were added and the tower was subject to upward extension. The church was consecrated on 5 July 1903 by Bishop August Rosentreter.   Since the 16th century, the church (parish church of Wąbrzeźno) has been the Sanctuary of the Pregnant Virgin Mary. 

Description

The church is situated on a hill near Lake Zamkowe and Lake Frydek, in the western part of the town. The Gothic church was originally aisleless with a distinct chancel, but currently it is a three-aisled building which features a chancel with semi-hexagonal termination, separated from the main body with a transept, on the east side and a tower on a square floor plan on the west side. A sacristy adjoins the chancel on the south side. The main body of the church is covered by a gable roof, with each of the side-aisle bays covered with an individual decorative three-pitched roof and the tower covered with a hip roof. The church was built of stone and brick and is covered with beaver tail roof tiles forming a “lace” pattern. The west façade features a tower on the axis and a central pointed-arch portal. The side (north and south) façades feature pointed-arch split and tripartite windows with brick bar tracery and simple traceries. Between the windows, there are two-stepped buttresses. The east façade features a chancel with semi-hexagonal termination in the centre, the walls of which are crowned with a stepped plaster cornice. The three-bay interior is covered with a false barrel vault and beamed ceiling.

The church décor mainly dates back to the 18th century. Notable fixtures are the Baroque altarpieces, including the main altarpiece with the painting of Mary Immaculate of Wąbrzeźno from the mid-17th century and the side altarpiece with a Gothic sculpture of the Virgin Mary with Child (c. 1500), the Baroque baptismal font from the first half of the 18th century and the granite holy water font, which likely dates back to the Middle Ages. The pipe organ, made by W. Sauer from Frankfurt (Oder) in the second half of the 19th century, was moved from the former filial church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Poland in 1975.  The bell, cast in 1705 by Michael Wittwerck in Gdańsk, features the Pilawa coat of arms.  

The site is accessible to visitors during the opening hours of the church and by prior arrangement with the parish priest.

Prepared by Marzenna Stocka, National Heritage Board of Poland, Regional Branch in Toruń 30-08-2017

Bibliography

• Diecezja toruńska. Historia i teraźniejszość, Vol. 18, Dekanat wąbrzeski, Toruń 1994, pp. 62-67
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce, Vol. XI: Województwo bydgoskie, issue 19: Powiat wąbrzeski, T. Chrzanowski and M. Kornecki (eds.), Warszawa 1967, pp. 41-42