History

The Evangelical church of the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the “Lower Church”, the “Little Church” or the “Polish Church”, was first mentioned in 1587, when Georg Dyhrn, the erstwhile owner of the town, ordered the church to be equipped with a new ceiling and pews. After the so-called “Upper Church” was erected in years 1688-90 in the middle of the market square, the old temple remained in use as a filial church in which Polish-language service would be held. The current church was erected in years 1877-79 by the master carpenter H. Dreyser, replacing the previous structure that had stoon on this spot. The church remained abandoned from 1956 and was subsequently taken over by the municipal authorities in 1992. In 2009, the comprehensive restoration and adaptation as a concert hall was completed.

Description

The church, designed in the Gothic Revival style, is oriented towards the east. It is located on a levelled slope of the hill, in the vicinity of the nearby palace. The church is a timber-framed structure positioned atop a tall, brick foundation. The rectangular nave is adjoined by a narrower, rectangular chancel with a sacristy to the north. Inside the nave there are wooden galleries supported by sturdy pillars. The chancel is separated from the nave by an openwork rood arch with a pointed outline, featuring tracery decorations. Original painted decorations can still be admired inside the church. The original Baroque fixtures and fittings, however, have been mostly moved to the church of St Giles in Chełstów.

Limited access to the historic building.

compiled by Grzegorz Grajewski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Wrocław, 3-12-2014.

Bibliography

• Brzezicki S., Nielsen Ch., Grajewski G., Popp D. (ed.), Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk, Wrocław 2006, p. 890.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce. Seria Nowa, vol. 4: Województwo wrocławskie, issue 3: Milicz, Żmigród, Twardogóra i okolice, Warszaw 1997, pp. 93-94.
• Pilch J., Leksykon zabytków architektury Dolnego Śląska, Warsaw 2005, p. 373.