A wooden church from 1675 in a cemetery in Sierakowice, with 17th-century polychromes discovered in 2001.
The Church of St Catherine of Alexandria in Sierakowice is a wooden church from 1675, standing in a village cemetery in Sośnicowice municipality. It belongs to the Wooden Architecture Trail of the Silesian Voivodeship, and its greatest treasure is the 17th-century polychromes discovered in 2001 beneath later repaintings.
The first mention of a church in Sierakowice dates from 1447, but that building was demolished in 1673. The present church was built in 1675 by the carpenter Joseph Jozek. Since 1679 the church has been a filial church of the parish in Rachowice. It was renovated many times, among others in 1819-1820, 1886, 1947, 1953 and 1957.
It is an oriented, wooden church of the Silesian type, of log construction, with a tower of post construction. The walls are covered with shingles, and open sobotas (wooden arcaded galleries) surround the nave and chancel. The square-plan tower has a porch at ground level and an octagonal pavilion roof. The furnishings are Baroque: the high altar from 1678 depicts St Catherine of Alexandria, and the pulpit and font date from the 18th century. The organ was built in 2011 by a firm from Olesno.
In 2001 painted figural polychromes from the 17th century were discovered inside, made in oil tempera directly on the wood. They were uncovered from beneath repaintings and conserved in 2003-2010. On the walls of the chancel and nave one can see, among other things, scenes from the life of Christ, images of saints and personifications of virtues.
A wooden gate covered with shingles leads to the church through the cemetery; it was entered in the heritage register in September 2023. Nearby stands the 19th-century chapel of St John of Nepomuk. In the area are the palace in Sośnicowice and the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Łącza.
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