Church of St Nicholas in Mikołów-Borowa Wieś

The wooden Church of St Nicholas stands on ulica Gliwicka in Borowa Wieś, a district of Mikołów. It is a parish church in the Mikołów deanery of the Archdiocese of Katowice and lies on the Wooden Architecture Trail of the Silesian Voivodeship. The church was not originally built here, however: in 1937-1939 it was moved from nearby Przyszowice.

History and dating

The date of construction cannot be established with certainty. Church chronicles and some publications give the year 1640, other sources speak generally of the 17th century, and there are also opinions favouring 1720 and 1737, the latter date probably referring only to the tower. At its present site the church was blessed on 16 December 1939, and the parish was established only in 1957. The building has been listed in the heritage register since 1966.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is oriented, the nave is rectangular in plan, and a narrower chancel closed on three sides adjoins it. On the west stands a post-construction tower with a lookout storey and a Baroque onion-shaped spire with a lantern. The whole building is encircled by soboty, that is wooden arcades. The furnishings are mostly Baroque: an Early Baroque high altar with a painting of St Nicholas, a Rococo and a Late Baroque side altar, and a pulpit. In the chapel stands a Late Renaissance altar with a painting of the “Lamentation”.

Nearby

The GOP Edge Trail passes near the church. From Borowa Wieś it is close to the castle in Chudów, and further on to the Guido Mine (Guido Mine and Coal Mining Museum) in Zabrze.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Gliwicka 354, Mikołów-Borowa Wieś.
• The church is an active parish church; visiting the interior depends on service times and arrangements with the parish.
• The monument is best viewed from the outside, together with the wooden soboty.