St Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr's Church in Danków

The Church of St Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr stands in Danków, a village in the Lipie municipality, and is one of the oldest masonry buildings in the area. It was built on the site of a former fortress, in which a castle was later raised.

Foundation and history

Danków originally had a wooden church, which was taken over by the Protestants in the second half of the 16th century. The masonry church was built on the fortress site around 1650, endowed by the castellan Stanisław Warszycki. It was consecrated on 22 July 1675 by Archbishop Andrzej Olszowski of Gniezno, and it took its dedication not only from St Stanislaus but also from the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Anthony of Padua. In the 20th century the church was restored after wartime damage, and in 2000 it received five stained-glass windows.

Architecture and furnishings

It is a single-nave church in the late Renaissance style with a Baroque interior. On the west side stands a square tower, probably the former castle tower, and a porch. The high altar is decorated with a painting of the Virgin Mary with Child from the mid-16th century. According to tradition, the painting wept three times in the presence of witnesses in the octave of Corpus Christi in 1650, and in 2002 it was crowned with diocesan crowns. The church has three altars, four Renaissance portals and the tombstone of Andrzej Warszycki, voivode of Podlasie, who died in 1615.

Nearby

Right next door, about two hundred metres away, lies Danków Castle. A trip around the area can be extended with the Szachownica Nature Reserve and the 303 Museum near Krzepice.

Practical information

• Address: Danków 30, Lipie municipality.
• The church is an active parish church, and entry to the interior depends on the parish.
• The image of Our Lady of Danków is an object of worship, so a visit to the interior is best arranged with the parish.