The church imitated an ambitious design borrowed from other monumental Baroque structures. In the 1770s, within a small distance from Zaborów, two large wooden Baroque temples were erected: in Dąbrowa Tarnowska (a parish church) and in nearby Wietrzychowice.

History

An independent parish, part of the Wojnicz deanery, was set up in 1819. The local church was probably the second temple in the area. It was built in 1835 owing to the sponsorship of Teresa Radecka. It was consecrated in 1858 by Bishop Józef Alojzy Pukalski, the ordinary of the Diocese of Tarnów. The first parish priest of Zaborów was the Benedictine Fr Ignacy Weremund Obrębski. The construction of the temple was completed by his successor, Fr Jakub Wessely. In 1950 the church was demolished upon the consent of the then regional conservator of historic monuments in Kraków. The circumstances of the decision are not known, perhaps it was due to some structural faults. The present-day church in Zaborów was built in the years 1949-51. It was designed by Archbishop Stanisław Kapcia. The interior features some fittings of the former wooden church, including the locally worshipped Baroque image of Our Lady of Zaborów. Other elements of the former decorations come from before the mid-the 19th century, i.e. the time of construction of the old church. Some time earlier, in 1830 (judging by the date on the metal flag), a free-standing wooden belfry was erected, which is today entered in the register of monuments.

Description

The bell tower is low and square, with vertical walls. It is covered with an octagonal cupola. Originally, it was clad with shingles and later with metal sheeting.

The site is accessible until dusk. Sightseeing can be arranged with the parish office in advance.

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

Bibliography

• J. Cierniak, Wieś Zaborów i Zaborowski Dom Ludowy, Zaborów 1936
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce I, woj. Krakowskie, Warszawa 1953, wyd. II.
• M. Kornecki, Dawne drewniane kościoły i dzwonnice w Diecezji Tarnowskiej, “Currenda” 4-6 1986
• M. Kornecki, Kościoły drewniane w Małopolsce, Kraków 1999
• T. Śledzikowski Gmina Szczurowa, krajobraz kulturowy, mps, Kraków 1999.