History

Górecko Kościelne is a former forest settlement previously known as Huta or Wola Górecka, forming part of the Szczebrzeszyn estate which remained in the hands of Jan Zamoyski, the great crown hetman, from 1593 onwards. According to traditional beliefs, it was here that the revelation of St Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr took place on 7 October 1648; initially, a wooden chapel was erected on the site of the revelation, followed by a wooden church, two shrines dedicated to the cult of St Stanislaus as well as a small Franciscan monastery, erected in 1668 for the funds provided by Marcin Zamoyski, the podstoli (deputy pantler) of Lviv who later went on to become the great crown vice treasurer. The entire parish remained under the administration of the Franciscan monks right until the dissolution of the monastery in 1864 and was intended as a sign of gratitude for the victorious battle of Chocim. The present-day church, funded by Jan Jakub Zamoyski, was erected in 1768, replacing its predecessor which was destroyed by the Swedish forces. The current chapel, known as the “Chapel Under the Oaks”, was built after 1881, also replacing an earlier structure which stood on the same site. The chapel underwent renovation works in 1946 and 1987, when the original wood shingle cladding was replaced by copper sheets.

Description

The chapel stands alongside an oak-lined alley leading from the church towards the Szum river and another chapel - known as the “Chapel by the Water”. Designed on a rectangular floor plan, the chapel features a semi-hexagonal termination in the chancel section, its interior being a single, open space. Built using pinewood logs, its corner-notched structure is clad with vertically arranged board and batten siding. The chapel features a gable roof with a three-sided termination above the chancel, clad with sheet metal. The interior is covered with a false barrel vault. The front (eastern) façade is topped with a triangular pediment separated from the rest of the structure by a small skirt roof; the façade follows a single-axial design and features a rectangular entrance with a single, wooden planked door which features an original lock - a fine example of period blacksmith’s work. Each of the side façades features a rectangular, twelve-pane window. Inside the chapel, visitors can admire the altarpiece incorporating an image of St Stanislaus the Bishop, dating back to the first half of the 17th century.

The historic monument may be visited from the outside.

compiled by Bożena Stanek-Lebioda, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Lublin, 05-11-2015.

Bibliography

• Górak J., Kościoły drewniane Zamojszczyzny, Zamość 1986, p. 45.
• Grzelachowski S., Sanktuarium w puszczy, “Spotkania z Zabytkami, 2002, no. 7, pp. 23-25.
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce, Vol. VIII: Województwo lubelskie, issue 3: Powiat biłgorajski, compiled by Kwiczala M., Szczepkowska K., Brykowski R., Warsaw 1960, p. 10.