It is among the few single-pillar churches erected under the influence of techniques pursued by the foundations of Casimir the Great. Among its fittings, there are valuable works of art, for example, a brass baptismal font of 1414 and a "marble" tombstone of Marianna Baranowska of ca. 1632 (attributed to an unidentified sculptor of Chęciny or Sebastiano Venosta).

History

The origins of the parish in Kurzelów are unclear. It is believed to be established in the 12th century on the initiative of the owners of the village - the archbishops of Gniezno. The existing temple of St Adalbert was made of wood. Before 1260, a collegiate was set up there and before 1306 an archdeaconry. Today’s brick church was built before 1360. it was founded by Archbishop Jarosław Bogoria Skotnicki. Before 1644 the church was renovated. In the 17th century, a chapel of added devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary; in 1780 and between 1812 and 1817 the building was thoroughly renovated and some of its fittings replaced. In 1819, the tsarist authorities closed the collegiate. In the 19th century, the church was renovated and altered a number of times, e.g. in the years 1887-1892, the west porch was added. Between 1924 and 1938, thanks to the efforts of the local parish priest, the Rev. Teofil Rzeczyński, construction and preservation works were carried out (reinforced foundations and altered sacristy). During the works, some Gothic architectural details (traceries) were uncovered and partly reconstructed. Over the last three decades of the 20th century, the church was gradually repaired, for example, in 1998-99 the interior plasterwork was replaced.

Description

The church is located in the north-west part of the village, on a hill; it occupies the centre of an irregular, multilateral square surrounded by a stone wall and old trees. In the east part of the area, near the fence, there is a wooden, storied belfry with the upper chamber (reconstructed after 1946 based on the model from the late 17th century). This Gothic, oriented church is a single-nave structure with a square nave and a narrower and lower double-bay presbytery, closed with a polygonal wall. The north wall of the presbytery is adjoined by a rectangular sacristy (for canons) and a vestibule (for curates). The body of the church is flanked by a narrower and lower square chapel to the north and a square porch to the west. The building is supported by buttresses. The church was built of brick arranged in a Polish pattern and stone (architectural detail). It was entirely plastered. The building is covered with a gable roof (over the nave with the bell turret, presbytery, chapel and porch) and tripartite roof (over the furthest end of the presbytery). The modest façades and enriched with horizontal cornices and high buttresses. Inside, in the middle of the nave, there is an octagonal pillar (with a high plinth), supporting the tripartite vaulting (in the east part), and featuring cross-rib vaulting (in two west bays with supports covered with bas-relief). Other parts of the church are covered with cross-rib vaulting (presbytery with bas-relief supports), barrel vaulting (sacristy and vestibule), and cloister vaulting (in the chapel). The interior is enriched by the stone portal of the 2nd half of the 14th century in the vestibule and double traceries in the windows (reconstructed). Among the church fittings, there are valuable works of art, for example, a brass baptismal font of 1414 and a "marble" tombstone of Marianna Baranowska of ca. 1632 (attributed to an unidentified sculptor of Chęciny or Sebastiano Venosta), altar paintings of the 17th and 18th century and “marble” plaques with inscriptions of the 17th century (attributed to an unknown artist of Chęciny).

The site is accessible to visitors. Sightseeing upon prior telephone appointment.

Compiled by Łukasz Piotr Młynarski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Kielce, 16.12.2014.

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