One notable feature is the use of wood shingles as both roof cladding and for the purposes of shielding the foundations against the elements. Both the church and the palace, the latter having been erected in the early 19th century, are linked to the life of Adam Mickiewicz, the Polish national bard.

History

The first mentions of the parish in Łukowo in historical sources date back to the year 1397. The existing church of St Michael the Archangel was erected in 1780. The church was subsequently subjected to restoration works in 1824, 1949 and 1979. In 1831, Adam Mickiewicz, who was visiting his brother Franciszek who lived in the Łukowo palace at the time, took part in the traditional Midnight mass celebrated during Christmas (known as pasterka - the Shepherd’s Mass) which was held at the Łukowo church.

Description

The church is a wooden log structure clad with weatherboards. The building is oriented towards the east and follows a three-nave layout. The chancel, narrower than the main body of the building, features a three-sided termination. The sacristy adjoins the chancel from the north, while the quadrangular tower rises above the vestibule in the western part of the church. The tower is covered with a rounded hip roof surmounted by a roof lantern topped with a tall spire. The church features a gable roof with a single roof ridge above both the corps de logis and the chancel; the roof is covered with wood shingles, which are also used for the apron which encircles the building, protecting the sill plate against rainwater. The interior features three naves separated by two rows of wooden pillars. The middle nave and the chancel feature false barrel vaults, while the side naves have flat ceilings.

Apart from the main and side altarpieces, the pulpit and the baptismal font, the Rococo-style interior fittings which are worthy of mention include two paintings on the main altarpiece - Ars Morendi by Wacław Graf, painted in 1753 and a painting of the Virgin Mary with Child Jesus and St John the Baptist. The paintings incorporated into the side altarpieces, executed in the fourth quarter of the 17th century, are no less impressive.

The church can be viewed from the outside. Church service times: Sundays - 9:45 AM; Saturdays - 5:30 PM (summer) or 4:30 PM (winter). No church service on weekdays; holidays other than Sundays and Saturdays: 4:30 PM (winter) or 5:30 PM (summer).

compiled by Tomasz Łuczak, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Poznan, 18-11-2014.

Bibliography

• Karta ewidencyjna zabytków architektury i budownictwa, Łukowo - kościół, oprac. Kamiński Robert, 1984, Archiwum Wielkopolskiego Wojewódzkiego Konserwatora Zabytków w Poznaniu.
• Kościoły drewniane w Wielkopolsce, red. Mariusz Grzebalski, Poznań 2004, s. 150.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, t. 5, Woj. wielkopolskie, red. Ruszczyńska Teresa, Sławska Aniela, z. 15, Pow. obornicki, opr. I. Galicka I., Kaczorowska I., Sygietyńska H., Warszawa 1965, s. 3-4.