Along with the immediate surroundings, it represents architectural and spatial features typical of the rural landscape of Greater Poland. The building is situated at the “District Tourist Trail of Michał Drzymała — Wooden Churches of the Grodzisk District”.

History

The first wooden church in the village, dedicated to St Ursula the Virgin and Martyr, was mentioned in written records for the first time in 1424. The present Church of St Ursula was constructed in the years 1730-1737. It was founded by Kazimierz Kierski, castellan of Kamieniec, and Samuel Tyszewicz, the owner of Ruchocice. Information about the founder and the year of the completion of the church is displayed on the flag topping the steeple, bearing initials of the founder: “ST”, standing for Samuel Tyszewicz, his coat of arms, and the consecration date: “1739”. During World War II, the church was used as a textile storehouse. The church underwent renovation works three times: in the 19th century, between 1970 and 1975, and in 1986. In the years 1970-75, the interior and the altars were restored to their condition from before 1914.

Description

Ruchocice is a village in the Rakoniewice Commune, located 5 km to the south-west of Grodzisk Wielkopolski. The church is located in the centre of the village, on the left side of a road connecting Poznań and Wolsztyn and by a road leading to Prochy. By the church, to the west, there is a bell tower having a steel structure covered with wood. There is also a mission cross from 1948 beside the church. The former graveyard surrounding the church is enclosed with a wooden fence. It is covered with low vegetation and old trees.

The church is oriented towards the east. It has a rectangular floor plan. The elongated chancel, narrower than the nave, terminates in a semi-hexagon. It is adjoined by a sacristy on the north side and a lower porch on the west side. The main body of the church is covered with a gable roof (with a steeple topped with a cupola covered with sheet metal and surmounted by a flag), the chancel has a lower multi-pitched roof, the porch has a gable roof, and the sacristy has a mono-pitched roof. All roofs are covered with wood shingles. The building has a wooden log structure resting on a stone wall base and covered with weatherboards. The windows are framed by wooden surrounds. Inside, they are headed by segmental arches.

The church has one nave (with no aisles) and a lower chancel, covered with a coffered ceiling. The Baroque main altar, made of wood, comes from 1737. It incorporates a painting of St Ursula and a painting of Joseph with Child at the top. It is also flanked by two sculptures of women with a sword and a spear. The church has two side altars, incorporating paintings of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa and Crucified Christ embellished with acanthus motifs and decorative cartouches with coats of arms of the founders of the building. On the west side, there is a music gallery containing a Rococo pipe organ from the 2nd half of the 18th century.

The church, situated at the “District Tourist Trail of Michał Drzymała — Wooden Churches of the Grodzisk District”, may be visited from the outside. More information is available on the website of the parish: www.parafiaruchocice.pl

compiled by Radomiła Banach, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Poznan, 30-09-2015.

Bibliography

• J. Łukaszewicz, Krótki opis historyczny kościołów parochialnych w dawnej diecezji poznańskiej, Poznań 1858, s.486.
• Drewniane kościoły w Wielkopolsce, koncepcja, teksty i wybór fotografii P. Maluśkiewicz, Poznań 2004, s. 220.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, t. V, z. 28: powiat wolsztynski, Warszawa 1970, s. 25.