Church of St John the Baptist in Gliwice

The Church of St John the Baptist is the parish church of the Gliwice district of Żerniki. It has an unusual history: it was built from a former barn, and the presbytery from a former granary.

A church made from a barn

The first plans for a church appeared in 1912, but the outbreak of war prevented their realisation. After the war, 45 morgen of land with buildings was bought from the heirs of the von Groeling family for 60 thousand marks. The remaining funds were raised among the faithful of the diocese. The conversion plan was prepared by a local master builder named Nawrat.

Cardinal Adolf Bertram consecrated the church on 6 September 1931 in the presence of the mayor of Gliwice, Geisler. The first parish priest was Fr Maksymilian Beigel. Until mid-1939, services were held in both German and Polish.

Organ and bell tower

In 1931-1932 the firm of Carl Berschdorf from Nysa built a six-stop organ with one manual and a pedalboard, with pneumatic action. The instrument stands in the gallery above the main entrance. A new bell tower with three bells was consecrated in 2006. In front of the church stands a wooden mission cross donated in 1934 by the carpenter Markiefka.

Practical information

• Location: the Żerniki district of Gliwice.
• This is an active parish church, so check opening hours with the parish before your visit.
• The nearest site described on the portal is the Gliwice Radio Tower, about 2 km away.