Church of St Martin and St Margaret in Kłobuck

The Church of St Martin and St Margaret is the most important historic monument of Kłobuck, located next to the market square. It is the main part of the monastery complex of the canons regular and at the same time a Marian shrine.

The parish of Jan Długosz

The exact date of construction of the church is not known, because the parish documents were lost or destroyed. A mention of the rector of the church from 1287 is certain. Jan Długosz states that the first brick, Romanesque church was built here in 1144, but other sources do not confirm this information. Research results suggest that it was most probably a brick Romanesque church.

In the 15th century the parish was among the largest in medieval Poland, covering about 800 square kilometres. In 1434-1448 the chronicler Jan Długosz was parish priest here. In 1465 an extension of the church was begun, which Długosz financed, and in 1476 he founded a monastery of canons regular beside it. The church is linked to the monastery by a passage over a gate. In 1469 Kłobuck burned down almost completely, and the church needed rebuilding.

The shrine of Our Lady of Kłobuck

The church is a Marian shrine of Our Lady of Kłobuck, venerated as the Immaculate Refuge of Sinners. In the left side altar hangs a painting of the Virgin Mary with the Child, famed for graces, probably dated to the 14th century. The image was crowned on 31 May 2004. The shrine is a stop on the pilgrimage route to Jasna Góra.

The group of monuments

The heritage register includes the church, the monastery (now the presbytery), a granary from the 15th century, a curate's house from the 19th century and a fence with the remains of an octagonal bastion. The heritage register dates the church to the 15th century and describes its style as Gothic. The building is kept in the Gothic style with Baroque elements.

The Kłobuck Green Trail begins at the church, and the Nature Reserves Trail also passes through this area.

Practical information

• Address: 3 Maja 52, Kłobuck, about 100 metres from the Market Square in Kłobuck.
• The church is active as a parish and shrine church; the rules for visiting are given by the parish of St Martin.
• Nearby is the Jewish cemetery in Kłobuck (about 500 m).