Basilica of St Adalbert in Mikołów

The Basilica of St Adalbert in Mikołów is a Neo-Romanesque, three-aisled church with two towers, built in 1843-1861 for a parish of almost ten thousand faithful at that time. Since 2008 it has held the title of minor basilica, and the parish counts its organ of 1862 among the largest historic instruments in Upper Silesia.

Building the new church

The existing 13th-century church of St Adalbert was already too small for the extensive parish at the beginning of the 19th century. Construction of the new church began in 1843, and the foundation stone was blessed on 1 August by the Bishop of Wrocław. Work went slowly: obstacles included design errors, famine and epidemics, and in 1854 it was halted because of a defective ceiling structure. After a new vault was made and the pillars strengthened, construction was completed, and on 25 September 1861 the church was consecrated by the Wrocław auxiliary bishop Adrian Włodarski. The old church remained a filial church.

Architecture and interior

The building is of brick, in the Neo-Romanesque style, and holds about five thousand worshippers. The façade with the main entrance is crowned by a triangular gable, and the two two-storey towers house four bells. The high altar holds a painting of St Adalbert, bishop and martyr, with figures of St Peter and St Paul. In the side aisles stand the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the altar of Our Lady of Mikołów.

The parish points to the 19th-century stained glass of the Kraków school and the Stations of the Cross painted in 1868 by Jan Bochenek as valuable monuments. After a recent renovation, as the parish reports, the polychromes were refreshed, especially in the chancel, and the stained glass was cleaned. The organ was built in 1862 by Johann M.V. Haas of Głubczyce; originally it had 27 stops, two manuals and a pedal, and mechanical action. In 1986-1988 the instrument was thoroughly renovated and its original specification restored.

The title of minor basilica

On 14 March 2008 Pope Benedict XVI granted the church the dignity of a minor basilica, and the solemn proclamation took place in Mikołów on 31 August 2008. According to the parish, it is the fifth basilica in the Archdiocese of Katowice, after the basilicas in Piekary Śląskie, in Katowice-Panewniki, in Rybnik and in Pszów. One of them is the Basilica of St Louis the King and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Panewniki, less than eight kilometres from Mikołów. St Adalbert has been the patron of the whole town since 1998.

Nearby

Less than a kilometre from the basilica is the Municipal Museum Venue in Mikołów. Lake Starganiec is also nearby.

Practical information

• Address: ul. kard. Stefana Wyszyńskiego, Mikołów.
• The church is open mainly as a parish church; Mass and service times are given on the parish website bazylikamikolow.pl, where a virtual walk through the interior is also available.
• When sightseeing outside services, bear in mind that this is an active place of worship; it is worth checking the opening hours before your visit.