In the mid-18th century, the building was used by J. K. Branicki to emphasize the dominant role of the church erected in the eastern frontage of the Market Square, whose extended elevation resembled a Baroque palace facade.  

History of the structure

In 1633, Krzysztof Wiesiołowski, the starost of Tykocin, made a provision for the construction of a house for twelve war invalids. As an endowment, he gave to the foundation the Dolistowo estate and the village of Radzie. For this purpose Wiesiołowski bought two plots between the eastern frontage of the Market Square and the river, and began to build the seminar After the founder's death in 1637, king Władysław IV Vasa confirmed the foundation privilege, and the construction was continued by the widow of Wiesiołowski - Aleksandra. The seminary, built in the years 1634-1643, had the form of a one-story quadrangle with an internal courtyard and two corner-towers that looked down onto the river. In 1645, the building was sclose to completion. There was a chapel in its southern wing. The building was probably partially destroyed during the Deluge, because it required major repairs in 1698. In the years 1745-1767, Jan Klemens Branicki, as part of tidying up the town, rebuilt the Market Square and the surrounding buildings, including the seminary. The corner-towers were then demolished, the elevations were stripped of the original architectural details, leaving the crowning cornice, which gave the building late Baroque appearance. The chapel was rebuilt and the interior vault were reconstructed.   During the Prussian partition, the chapel in the seminary was turned into a Protestant church. In the 19th century, the seminary served as a charity institution and as such lasted until World War I, during which it was damaged and it was no longer used for its original purpose as assigned by its founder.   The building was renovated in 1929-1930 and later years. After 1945, the building was used for various purposes. It housed, among others: a common room, a performance hall in the chapel, rooms for youth organizations, a fertilizer store, and a hostel of Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society. Private property since 1993, currently it serves as a hotel and restaurant.

Description of the structure

The seminary is situated in the central part of the town, near the bridge over the Narew River, on its left bank, in the southern frontage of Poświętna Street and eastern frontage of Puchalskiego Street. The south-western corner of the building adjoins the Market Square. Baroque style. Made of brick, plastered.

Set on a rectangular, similar to a square floor plan, with an internal square courtyard. The south-western corner is truncated, slightly extended, with a passage to the courtyard. In the south-eastern corner there is a former chapel set on a square floor plan, with an apse protruding eastwards beyond the outer outline of the wall. The layout of rooms is terraced, with hallways in three wings. In the north sides of the corners there are two entrances from the courtyard to the rooms. The body consists of four single-storey wings surrounding a square inner courtyard. The wings are covered with gable roofs with dormers in the slopes on the courtyard side. The elevations with a small stone plinth, smooth, plastered, topped with a profiled crowning cornice. In the south-west corner gate passage topped with a basket arch. The window and door openings are headed with segmental arches. The interior is under barrel vaults with lunettes.

Visitor access: The historical monument is accessible.

Author of the note: Joanna Kotyńska-Stetkiewicz, National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Regional Office in Białystok, 14 November 2014

Bibliography

• Tykocin. Alumnat wojskowy, compiled by P. M. Gartkiewicz, Warsaw 1959, mps, in the collections of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Białystok.
• Tykocin. Studium historyczno-urbanistyczne, compiled by P. M. Gartkiewicz, Warsaw 1975, typescript, in the collections of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Białystok.
• Monkiewicz, Tykocin, Białystok 1983, pp. 34-36.
• Jemielity, Zabytki sakralne Tykocina, Łomża 1989, p. 5.
• http://pl.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyklopedia_staropolska/Alumnat (16.05.2023)