Ruins of St Hedwig's Church in Ziemięcice

The ruins of St Hedwig's Church in Ziemięcice stand on a hill next to the new church with the same dedication. The walls of a brick Gothic-Baroque church, abandoned in 1927, have survived. The structure is entered in the heritage register, which dates it to the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.

How it was built and how it fell

Construction began with the chancel in the 16th century. In 1688-1697 a brick nave, which replaced a wooden one, was added, along with a tower. In the first quarter of the 18th century a new vault was built, and in 1900 the church was renovated. In 1911 the ceiling collapsed, most probably under the weight of a roof turret added a few years earlier. A renovation was judged pointless, but it was decided to preserve the remains of the church. After the new church was completed in 1927 the old one was finally abandoned and has been falling into ruin ever since.

What it looked like

The church was orientated, built of brick and single-nave, with a chapel on the south side and a tower on the west. In the chancel, buttressed on the outside, fragments of a barrel vault with lunettes have survived. For years a stork’s nest has stood on top of the ruins.

Practical information

• Place: Ziemięcice in Zbrosławice municipality, on a hill by the new church of St Hedwig.
• It is a permanent ruin, so view it from the outside and with caution. Before your visit check with the municipality whether the site is accessible.