Kościoły i klasztory: Racibórz

Churches and monasteries in Racibórz: a Gothic parish church, the Dominican church on the Market Square, a Baroque shrine and a 1930s rotunda.

In Racibórz you will find a dozen or so churches from several periods, from Gothic through Baroque and neo-Gothic to modernism and Expressionism. Most are working parish churches, spread across districts from Ostróg to Ocice, so it is wise to plan the visit in stages.

Which church in Racibórz is the oldest, and what stands near the Market Square?

The oldest is held to be the Gothic parish church on Mickiewicza Street, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, a building begun, according to tradition, in 1205. A second Gothic church, the former Dominican one, stands right on the Market Square.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a single-nave brick building with one tower and star vaults, and was once the seat of a collegiate chapter. Settlers from the Low Countries raised it. The Church of St James at Rynek 1 was built in 1246-1258 and is the only part left of the Dominican monastery. Inside you will find a chapel where members of the Gaschin comital family are buried, plus an altar of the Rosary.

In Ostróg, right by the castle, stands the neo-Gothic Church of St John the Baptist from 1856-1866, designed by Vincenz Statz. It is known for its image of the Man of Sorrows. The castle's own story is told in an article on St Thomas's chapel and the legend of the stone head.

Which shrine and which churches in Nowe Zagrody are the most interesting?

Nowe Zagrody holds two contrasting buildings: a Baroque Marian shrine and an Expressionist rotunda of the 1930s. Several centuries and a completely different shape separate them.

The Church of Our Lady at Jana Pawła II 2 was built in 1723-1736. It is said to be the oldest Marian shrine in Upper Silesia, and inside hangs the image of Our Lady of Racibórz from the turn of the 17th century. The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Warszawska 29 was designed in 1934-1935 by Otto Linder of Stuttgart. Twenty reinforced-concrete pillars support the dome of the rotunda, and Emil Sutor made the sculptures.

Which churches are worth seeing in the other districts?

The districts hold eight more churches from 1874-1938, mostly neo-Gothic. The easiest way to choose is by the district you happen to be in.

In Stara Wieś stands the Church of St Nicholas of 1902, the work of Ludwig Schneider, with three naves. In Sudół you will find the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary from 1904-1905. Markowice has the red-brick Church of St Hedwig of 1874-1877, and Brzezie the Church of Saints Matthew and Matthias, designed by the Berlin architect Oskar Hoßfeld.

The 20th-century churches are plainer but varied. The Church of St Joseph in Ocice is a modernist brick building of 1937-1938. The Church of the Holy Cross on Studzienna was extended in 1933 with a transept and chancel. In Płonia stands the Church of St Paschal, tied to the Franciscans, who turned a former inn into a makeshift church there in 1920.

After the churches, look at the cemeteries and monuments of Racibórz, the town's historic sites or the main guide to Racibórz.

Frequently asked questions

Which church in Racibórz is the oldest?

The oldest in the town is the Gothic parish church on Mickiewicza Street, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. According to tradition, building began in 1205.

Where is the church by the Market Square?

At Rynek 1 stands the Church of St James, a former Dominican monastery church from the 13th century. It is the only remnant of the monastery.

Is there a shrine in Racibórz?

Yes, a Marian shrine in Nowe Zagrody, in the Church of Our Lady on Jana Pawła II Street. The present building went up in 1723-1736.

Which church in Racibórz is shaped like a rotunda?

It is the Sacred Heart church at Warszawska 29 in Nowe Zagrody, built in 1934-1935 with a dome on twenty pillars.