History

The church in Jaczów (known as Jätschau until 1945) was first mentioned in written sources back in 1291. The current, Late Gothic building was most likely erected in the second half of the 16th century, incorporating the remains of an earlier structure. The church underwent restoration in the 18th century and was subsequently renovated in years 1872, 1931 and 2002 (main altarpiece).

Description

The church in Jaczów is surrounded by a cemetery circumscribed by a stone wall; it is located on the eastern side of the local village road. A penitential cross is embedded into the wall right next to the access gate; the wall also features a pair of niches incorporating the wooden sculptures of the church patrons - St Simon and St Judas Thaddeus the Apostles, made in 1931 by Jäkel, a sculptor from Głogów.

The church is a brick structure, its walls supported by buttresses, covered by gable roofs rising above the chancel and the nave. The interior of the church follows a single-nave layout; the nave features a lierne vault, while the two-bay, rectangular chancel has a cross-rib vault. A sacristy with a barrel vault adjoins the chancel to the north. The massive tower adjoining the main body of the church to the west is crowned with a gable roof. The porch, positioned south of the main body of the church, features a pinnacled gable; the gable blind windows had, until very recently, incorporated Late Gothic figures of saints dating back to the second half of the 15th century, depicting St Lawrence, St John and Barbara. The interior fixtures and fittings of the church originate from the Baroque period and include the main altarpiece, designed in the Regency style in the second quarter of the 18th century and incorporating the image of Christ Crucified accompanied by the Pope, a king with his servants as well as figures of saints: St Nicholas, St Valentine, St Simon and St Judas Thaddeus. Other notable items include the pulpit, the stone baptismal font designed in the Gothic style and resembling a chalice in appearance, as well as the tombs of Caspar Sartorius, the local parish priest (died 1692) and Franz Joseph Lerch (died 1785).

The historic monument is accessible to visitors. Information on church service times can be found on the parish website: parafia.jaczow.pl.

compiled by Bogna Oszczanowska, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Wrocław, 03-09-2014.

Bibliography

• Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk, Warsaw 2006, pp. 333-334.
• B. Oszczanowska, D. Wiśniewska, Gmina Jerzmanowa. Studium środowiska kulturowego, ROBiDZ (Regional Centre for Historical Monument Research and Documentation in Wrocław, Wrocław 2006, typescript available in the archive of the National Heritage Board of Poland, Regional Branch in Wrocław