History

In 1272 Duke Konrad II the Hunchback brought the Franciscan Order to Żagań and funded a church and a monastery. The buildings were erected at the turn of the 14th century in the eastern part of the town, close to the town walls. The church burned down in the 15th century. During the reconstruction carried out from 1486, it was extended upwards and vaults were installed. The chapel on the north side was erected probably in 1514. In 1539 the temple was taken over by the Protestants. It belonged to them until 1652, with a short break in the years 1628-1635.  In that period, in the early 17th century, a tower was added, Gothic windows were diminished and galleries were installed in the interior. In the years 1632-1635 and 1652-1810 the church belonged to the Jesuit Order brought to Żagań by Duke Wallenstein. After the fire of 1688 the interiors were arranged in the Baroque style. Later, the tower was redesigned in the Classicist spirit. After the dissolution of the order, the church found itself in the hands of a Catholic parish. In the second half of the 19th century the church regained its Gothic stylistic features. After World War II, in the 1950s and in the early 1980s, renovations were carried out, in 1988 the altarpiece paintings were subject to conservation works and in the early 21st century the interior of the temple underwent renovation.

Description

The church is located at the north-east corner of Słowiański Square, at the intersection of Gimnazjalna and Łużycka streets. The Gothic temple is oriented towards the east and made of brick. A single-nave, seven-bay principal block with a four-bay chancel set on a rectangular floor plan, a chapel on the north side and a tower on the west side. The principal block is covered with lierne vaults, while the chancel is surmounted with lierne vaults with crystal vault cells. The tower is a cuboidal structure at the base, but its upper storeys are set on a octagonal floor plan. It is crowned with a polygonal, säteri cupola.  The Baroque fixtures and fittings have survived: the main altar with a painting of St Peter and Paul teaching the divine law (early 18th century), a north, side altar with an image of St Ignatius Loyola, a south side altar with an image of St Francis Xavier (both from around 1720) and a pulpit (from around 1700).

Limited access to the historic building.

Author of the note Anna Jackiewicz, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Zielona Góra. 04-12-2017

Bibliography

• Garbacz K., Przewodnik po zabytkach województwa lubuskiego, vol. 2, Zielona Góra 2012, pp. 110-111.
• Kowalski S., Zabytki architektury województwa lubuskiego, Zielona Góra 2010, p. 440.
• Zabytki sztuki w Polsce. Śląsk, Warsaw 2006, pp. 1098-1099.