Churches and monasteries
a Neo-Romanesque basilica from 1849, the centre of a shrine with a Calvary on Cerekwica hill
Churches and monasteries
pilgrimage complex with the Church of the Resurrection and more than thirty chapels on Cerekwica hill
Churches and monasteries
Neo-Romanesque church from 1882-1903 in Dąbrówka Wielka
Churches and monasteries
brick church from 1913-1915 combining Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic elements
Churches and monasteries
Neo-Gothic brick church from 1898-1899 with a tall clock tower and a star vault
Churches and monasteries
Modernist church from 1929-1933 without a tower, with a massif on the south side
Churches and monasteries
a Neo-Gothic chapel from 1905 on a hillock by the former border, renovated after years of ruin
Museums
the history of the cult of the Piekary image, papal gifts and sculptures from the former Calvary
Churches and monasteries
Neo-Gothic chapel from 1929-1930, a votive offering of the inhabitants of Dołki after Silesia joined Poland
Churches and monasteries
a Functionalist church of 1936-1937 designed by Jan Affa, in Kozłowa Góra
Things to do in Piekary Śląskie: the basilica and shrine of Our Lady of Piekary, the Calvary on Cerekwica hill and the brick churches of the districts.
Piekary Śląskie is above all a town of pilgrimages: people have come to the basilica for centuries. Beyond the shrine, the district churches are worth seeing, designed among others by Ludwig Schneider, along with a few chapels that stand off the beaten track.
Start at the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Bartholomew, a Neo-Romanesque church of 1849, a minor basilica and the heart of the shrine of Our Lady of Justice and Social Love. The parish has existed since 1303, and a vast Calvary is linked to the church. It is an active place of worship, so sightseeing has to fit around services.
Beside the basilica stands the Sanctuary Museum, open since 2009. It tells the story of the painting of Our Lady of Piekary and its 350 years of worship. The collection includes a stone font from 1303, replicas of crowns from 1925 and gifts, among them one from King John III Sobieski. One room is devoted to John Paul II. It is a good idea for a rainy day. The history of the cult is told in the article Piekary Śląskie: from the plague of 1676 to men's pilgrimages.
The Calvary is a pilgrimage complex on Cerekwica hill. It consists of the Church of the Resurrection, chapels of the stations of the arrest and the Way of the Cross, and a wall with rosary chapels. There are thirty-four chapels in all, and with the church they entered the register of monuments in 1995.
The originator was parish priest Bernard Purkop, who gathered land on the hill in 1866-1871. The plan foresaw many chapels and a large church, but only part of it was carried out.
Several churches were built of brick at the turn of the 20th century. The Church of Sts Peter and Paul in Kamień of 1898-1899 is a Neo-Gothic building by Ludwig Schneider, a three-nave hall church with a tall tower with clocks. The same architect designed the Church of the Sacred Heart in Brzeziny Śląskie of 1913-1915, with a single nave and Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic elements.
In Dąbrówka Wielka stands the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians. It began as a chapel of 1882-1883 and was enlarged in 1902-1903. It entered the register of monuments in 1998. In Szarlej you will find the Church of the Holy Trinity of 1929-1933, modernist and without a tower, designed by Zygmunt Gawlik, author of the Katowice cathedral. In Kozłowa Góra stands the functionalist Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help of 1936-1937, by Jan Affa. All the churches are listed under churches and monasteries in Piekary Śląskie, and architecture under architecture in Piekary.
The Maria Hilf Chapel is a Neo-Gothic chapel of 1905 that stands alone on a small hill in Szarlej, close to the A1 motorway and a railway line. After a renovation in 2020-2021 its surroundings were tidied and benches were added. The Chapel of St Anthony in Dołki, from 1929-1930, is an offering of local residents for the joining of part of Upper Silesia to Poland. For events in town, see the events calendar for Piekary Śląskie.
Begin with the basilica and the Sanctuary Museum, then climb the Calvary on Cerekwica hill. In the afternoon, see one or two churches in the districts.
It is an active place of worship, so sightseeing should fit around services. It is best to check their schedule on the spot.
The complex has thirty-four chapels in all, plus the Church of the Resurrection. The chapels and the church entered the register of monuments in 1995.
The Sanctuary Museum by the basilica, or district churches such as the Neo-Gothic church in Kamień.
