It has retained its original architectural and spatial layout and still has the original fittings from the late 17th and early 18th century.

History

Jaktorowo, one of the oldest villages of the Chodzież District, was established by Bogusław, Castellan of Ujście. The first church in the village was erected after 1288; it was mentioned in written records dating from 1364. At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, it was taken over by Protestants. According to descriptions from 1608, at that time, the building was damaged, not used, and was falling into ruin. It was returned to the Catholics in the early 17th century. The present church building (built on the site occupied by the previous church) was built in the years 1763-1764. It was founded by Jakub Łakiński. A sacristy having a frame structure was added in 1863. The church underwent restoration in 1904; the works were financed by Adam Żółtowski. The structure of the music gallery was reinforced, the rood beam was removed, and the floors and the window and door woodwork were replaced. The interior walls were decorated with paintings by Łożyński. The roof was renovated in the inter-war period. New wall and ceiling paintings were executed in 1947. In 1997, the roof truss was renovated and a board ceiling was installed.

Description

The Church of St Anne in Jaktorowo is situated in the centre of the village, on a plot of land enclosed with a low stone wall and a wooden fence, with a brick gate located in a view corridor running towards the main entrance to the church.

The church is oriented towards the east. It has a rectangular floor plan. The chancel, narrower than the nave, terminates in a semi-hexagon. A sacristy adjoins the chancel on the north side. The western part of the nave is dominated by a tower having a frame structure and walls covered with weatherboards. It is topped with a Baroque onion-shaped roof with a lantern crowned with a cupola. Both the roof and the cupola are covered with wood shingles. The church has gable roofs covered with roofing paper.

The church has a combined log and frame structure. Inside, it has a log structure, whereas the exterior walls have a frame structure with brick infill.

The church has a single nave (with no aisles), covered with a flat ceiling decorated with paintings from 1947. On the gallery, there is an Early-Baroque cartouche incorporating the coats of arms of Poland, Lithuania, and Ruthenia and a medaillon with an image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa in the centre. The main altar incorporates a painting of St Anne from the 2nd half of the 18th century. The church also has two side altars, parts of which come from the 17th and 18th centuries, and a Baroque pulpit, baptismal font, and confessional from the 18th century.

The church may be visited from the outside and — by prior arrangement — also inside.

compiled by Radomiła Banach, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Poznan, 03-09-2015.

Bibliography

• Drewniane kościoły w Wielkopolsce, koncepcja, teksty i wybór fotografii P. Maluśkiewicz, Poznań 2004, s. 42.
• Jankowski A., Kościoły drewniane o zdwojonej konstrukcji ścian w Wielkopolsce, Bydgoszcz 2009, s. 219-23.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, t. V, z. 1: powiat chodzieski, Warszawa 1965, s. 4-5.