Kościół pw. Najświętszego Salwatora
Churches of Kraków
Parish church (Roman Catholic), Zwierzyniec district. A parish is a community of believers tied to a particular church. A listed monument (heritage register).
History
The Church of the Holy Saviour stands on a small hill at the eastern end of the St Bronisława's Hill massif and is one of the oldest historic buildings in Kraków. The nearby Salwator neighbourhood takes its name from the church's dedication. Tradition holds that the church was built on the site of a pagan structure, and that St Adalbert (Wojciech) himself preached here.
The first reliable mention comes from the Kraków Chapter Annals, which record the consecration of the Church of the Saviour under the year 1148. A charter of Prince Bolesław the Chaste from 1256 attributes the foundation to former princes of Kraków, while Jan Długosz names Piotr Włostowic as the founder. Scholars long argued about the building's origins. Later archaeological research and radiocarbon dating from the early 21st century suggest that the first church was built in the first half of the 12th century. Its rebuilding is linked to the church being handed over to the Norbertine nuns of Zwierzyniec; according to Długosz, this was done in 1183 by Gedko, Bishop of Kraków. The nuns moved here after their convent was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of 1241.
The church was damaged in the fighting for Kraków in 1587. It was rebuilt by Abbess Dorota Kącka, as a plaque from 1622 confirms, and it was then that it gained its tower. After being burnt by the Swedes in 1656, it was rebuilt by 1680 through the efforts of Abbess Anna Zapolska. Inside, valuable wall paintings from the early 16th century survive, showing the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the Crucifixion, along with a Romanesque stone altar table. Outside, on the south side, stands a pulpit from 1605, and the old cemetery stretches around the church.
Did you know?
A side altar holds a painting of the Crucifixion by Kacper Kurcz from 1605. At Christ's feet you can see a fiddler, which is linked to a local legend.