Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sosnowiec

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the main church of the Sosnowiec diocese, built in 1893-1899 on Kościelna Street. Its brick body with a tall tower hides Young Poland polychromes by Włodzimierz Tetmajer and Henryk Uziembło.

Why it was built

The former railway church turned out at the end of the 19th century to be too small for tens of thousands of worshippers. The design was made by the Warsaw architect Karol Kozłowski, and work began in August 1893.

The lower chapel was put into use in 1896, construction was completed in 1898, and the parish was established on 3 June 1899. The blessing took place on 29 October 1899, the finishing of the furnishings lasted until 1901, and the solemn consecration was carried out in 1910. Since 25 March 1992 the church has been the cathedral of the Sosnowiec diocese, and the title of minor basilica was solemnly proclaimed in 2000.

Architecture

The church is a three-aisled basilica with a transept on a Latin cross plan, built in the Neo-Romanesque style with Neo-Gothic elements. The façade is dominated by a massive tower with a Neo-Gothic spire, and above the crossing rises a smaller sanctus-bell turret.

The elevations are decorated with arcade friezes, pinnacles and sandstone portals. Inside, the naves are divided by arcades on massive columns, above them runs a triforium gallery, and the crossing is covered by a dome. The lower church now serves as a crypt with the tombs of the Sosnowiec bishops.

Polychromes and furnishings

The greatest value of the church is the polychrome by Tetmajer and Uziembło from 1904-1906, covering 3,164 m² of walls and vaults. It depicts saints, historical figures and motifs connected with the church's dedication, supplemented by floral ornaments of a partly folk character.

The high altar is a copy of the altar from the Corpus Christi church in Kraków, with a painting of the Assumption by Tetmajer. The pulpit and font were made by the sculptor Paweł Turbas, and the stained-glass windows were made in 1932-1938 in the Żeleński workshop in Kraków.

The cathedral square and the fire

By the church there are numerous commemorative plaques and monuments, among them a small shrine dedicated to the skirmish of the January Uprising insurgents of 7 February 1863. In 2008 the first bishop of Sosnowiec, Adam Śmigielski, was buried on the square.

On the night of 28 to 29 October 2014 a fire broke out in the church, which destroyed the roof and damaged the polychrome. The roof was rebuilt thanks to the generosity of people and institutions from all over Poland, and conservation work on the polychromes continues. The cathedral, the rectory and the retaining wall were entered in the heritage register on 30 December 1994.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Kościelna 1, Sosnowiec.
• The church is an active place of worship, so sightseeing should be limited during services. It is worth checking visiting hours with the parish.
• Nearby: Dietl Park about 1.3 km, Scout Park about 800 m and Sielec Castle about 1.6 km.