St John the Baptist's Church in Sosnowiec

St John the Baptist's Church stands in the Niwka district of Sosnowiec, at the crossing of ulica Wojska Polskiego and ulica Orląt Lwowskich. It is a Neo-Gothic, three-aisled pseudo-hall church of red, unplastered brick, entered in the heritage register.

Construction and founders

The initiator of the construction was the branch chaplain Father Jan Zmarzlik. In 1897 Bishop Tomasz Teofil Kuliński laid the foundation stone, and the church was consecrated in 1910. It was funded by the miners of the “Jerzy” mine, the steelworkers of the “Staszic” steelworks, the residents of Niwka and the French Society of Sosnowiec Mines and Ironworks. It was designed by the architect Józef Pomian-Pomianowski, drawing on the work of Teodor Talowski.

Architecture

The façade is defined by a 65-metre bell tower flanked by smaller turrets. It is decorated with corbels in the shape of human heads and gargoyles facing the four points of the compass, and above the main entrance is a stained-glass window. The entrance is closed by oak doors with floral ironwork. Inside, the nave is covered with a rib vault with paintings, and the high altar, the two side altars and the pulpit were made by Paweł Turbas of Olkusz. Next to the church stands a historic brick chapel on an octagonal plan. The building shows the effects of mining damage, most strongly in the tower.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Orląt Lwowskich 67, Sosnowiec.
• Nearby lies the Three Emperors' Corner.