It nurtures the hardly perceptible, nostalgic ambiance of the identity of the traditional, native cultural landscape that is quickly disappearing. Its equipment is surprisingly rich against the background of the modesty of the building.

History

In the Middle Ages, the hamlet of Wilków belonged to the Tyniec monastery. In the 15th century, it was home to the so-called monastic manor. Historical references to a chapel dedicated to St Odile come from the 17th century, although it is possible that a manor chapel, probably dedicated to the same saint, had existed earlier. This is evidenced by the preserved 16th-century wing altar with the image of the saint. In the 18th century, the Wilków estate belonged to the local nobility. After the mid-18th century, it was the property of the Tyniec monastery royal manager. From the mid-19th century, the estate was owned by the Zubrzycki family. Today, the chapel is private and is part of the auxiliary church of the Luborzyca parish near Kraków. The last major refurbishment was carried out in the years 1977-1980.

Description

The building is modest, with a simple spatial and functional arrangement and traditional design solution. Precise dating is not possible, so it is considered to be a 17th-century property. Thorough replacement of the building material during the renovation in 1977-1980 (including the replacement of the foundations and installation of the new wall formwork on both sides) does not allow a detailed historical analysis. The building is an oriented, single-nave structure, closed on three sides from the east, with the sacristy added from the north. The chamfered, ogee portal to the sacristy alludes to late-Gothic motifs, which was a very popular solution in Polish carpentry. The relatively high roof supported by a rafter truss is topped with a neat, hexagonal ave bell spirelet with a lantern. The entire modest and shingled chapel looks charming, which is emphasised by its location on a wooded hill, separated from the nearby road by a cliff. The interior boasts a variety of rich furnishings. There are elements of equipment brought from other churches, folk paintings, and devotional articles. Attention is drawn to a Baroque altar from the second half of the 17th century, flanked by a pair of columns featuring a rich, gilded, carving decoration with auricular motifs. In the middle panel of the altar, there is a painting of St Odile with a small figure of the unknown founder: a kneeling priest. It is the central part of a former triptych, which was the original retable of the chapel altar, dating back to the mid-16th century. The wings of the altar have been preserved. They are fastened to the sides of the body of a simple pulpit. On the side walls of the apse closure, there are “plank” wings of a Mannerist altar that has not been preserved. It has the figures of St John the Baptist and St Coloman. These are really unique and not found anywhere else in Kraków or in the region. The woodcarving equivalent of the altar is the Baroque choir gallery with a bulging balustrade with slatted panels and numerous elements of auricular carvings and putto sculptures arranged alternately.

The site is available during services (Sunday at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.)

Author of the note Roman Marcinek, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Kraków 20/03/2015

Bibliography

• R. Brykowski, M. Kornecki, Drewniane kościoły w Małopolsce Południowej, Ossolineum 1984, p. 86.
• KZSwP, I, Województwo Krakowskie, wyd. 2, Warszawa 1953.
• M. Kornecki, Biuletyn „Kościoły drewniane” no. 19/1994.