St. Anne’s Church, Vilnius, Lithuania (part 2 of 2)

The interior of the church, although the church itself is a gem of Flamboyant Gothic with an extraordinary, lace-like façade made from 33 types of bricks, does not match the originality and finesse of its façade. It is a single-nave church, and much of its interior decoration dates back to the early 20th century, when a comprehensive renovation was carried out. The altars in the church are in the Baroque style, which does not entirely harmonize with the Gothic architecture of the temple. The main altar contains the painting of St. Anne the Mother of the Virgin (St. Anne Samotrzeć), and the side altars and furnishings such as the organ case, pulpit, and confessionals come from the time of this renovation. In the side aisles, there are also preserved Gothic frescoes and crystal and net vaults, which are a unique heritage of sacred art from the early 16th century.

Although the interior of the church is less impressive than the façade, it is nevertheless a valuable sanctuary of Gothic art with Baroque elements and testifies to the long history of its use and evolving decoration.

#church #kosciol #vilnius #wilno #lithuania #litwa #lietuva #gothicarchitecture #architekturagotycka #architektura #architecture #gotyk #gothic #architekturasakralna #sacralachitecture #monastery #polis #historia #history #photography

St. Anne’s Church, Vilnius, Lithuania (part 1 of 2)

This is one of the most recognizable landmarks of the Lithuanian capital and a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture. It was built at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, and its founder was the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Alexander Jagiellon.

The church was constructed between 1495 and 1500, and its main architect was Michał Enkinger from Gdańsk, although some sources also mention Benedykt Rejt as a possible designer. The church initially served as the chapel of the St. Anne’s Brotherhood and was adjacent to the Bernardine monastery complex.

The building has undergone many repairs and reconstructions – after fires, the collapse of the vaulting in 1563, and during major renovations in the 20th and 21st centuries. An important stage was the restoration from 1902 to 1909 and another one from 2009 to 2010, when the heavily damaged façade and roof were secured.

St. Anne’s Church enchants with its Gothic façade, which was made using as many as 33 types of hand-profiled bricks! Two openwork towers, saddleback arches, and a wealth of Gothic details make the church a true architectural gem and one of the symbols of Vilnius.

#church #kosciol #vilnius #wilno #lithuania #litwa #lietuva #gothicarchitecture #architekturagotycka #architektura #architecture #gotyk #gothic #architekturasakralna #sacralachitecture #monastery #polis #city #miasto #ulica #street #historia #history #photography

Church of St. Cosmas and Damian, Anusin, Poland

It is a wooden Orthodox church built between 1902 and 1904 on the site of an older church dating back to the late 18th century. It serves as the parish church for the Telatycze parish and is a typical example of log architecture from the southern Podlasie region. The church has a three-part structure with a three-story tower above the vestibule, an octagonal drum, and a characteristic onion-shaped dome covering the roof.

The interior of the church features an eclectic iconostasis from the early 20th century, containing icons of Baroque character. An unusual element of the decoration is the Stations of the Cross hanging on the side walls, which are rarely found in Orthodox churches. Around the church grounds, there is a stone slab with a mysterious, partially faded inscription combining Cyrillic and Greek alphabet characters, as well as a baptismal font located near a nearby stream.

#kosciol #church #cerkiew #prawoslawie #cerkiewprawoslawna #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #podlasie #polska #poland #temple #swiatynia #chrzescijanstwo #christianity #architektura #architekturasakralna #architecture #sacralarchitecture #woodenarchitecture #photography #fotografia

The St. Mary’s Basilica, Gdansk, Poland

The construction of St. Mary’s Basilica began in 1343 - it lasted 159 years! It was not until 1502 that the works were finally completed. The mighty and solid structure of the cathedral survived the difficult times of World War II, although it lost most of its equipment forever. Looking inside the basilica, we are overcome with delight and amazement. The ceiling seems endless, and the snow-white walls give the temple an even greater optical enlargement. At first glance, the interior is empty, there are no frescoes or special decorations. However, thanks to this, we focus more on the size of the temple and its most interesting works, of which there are really many here.

One of the greatest monuments of St. Mary’s Basilica are the Gothic altars, whose black and gold color contrasts beautifully with the white walls.

Another unique monument is the 550-year-old astronomical clock. This 12-meter clock shows not only the hours, but also the phases of the moon and the signs of the zodiac. It is the work of the artist H. Duringer from Toruń. Every day at 11:57 you can take part in the figure theater show of this unique astronomical clock.

#gdansk #kosciol #church #basilica #poland #polska #ulica #street #miasto #city #widok #view #streetview #oldtown #staremiasto #architektura #architecture #sacralarchitecture #architekturasakralna

Kościół św.Józefa, Świętochłowice

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Kościół św. Józefa w Świętochłowicach to zabytkowy obiekt sakralny, który wyróżnia się bogatą historią i charakterystyczną architekturą. Zbudowany został w 1931 roku, a projektantem i konstruktorem był Jan Affa.

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St. Joseph Church in Świętochłowice (Poland) is a historic sacred building distinguished by its rich history and distinctive architecture. It was built in 1931, and its designer and constructor was Jan Affa. This place plays an important role in the religious and cultural life of the local community, serving as a valuable element of the region’s heritage.

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Церква св. Йосипа у Świętochłowice (Польща) — це історична сакральна споруда, що вирізняється своєю багатою історією та характерною архітектурою. Вона була збудована у 1931 році, а її проектувальником та конструктором був Ян Аффа.

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Die St.-Joseph-Kirche in Świętochłowice (Polen) ist ein historisches sakrales Bauwerk, das sich durch seine reiche Geschichte und markante Architektur auszeichnet. Sie wurde im Jahr 1931 erbaut, und der Entwurf sowie der Bau wurde von Jan Affa geleitet. Dieser Ort spielt eine bedeutende Rolle im religiösen und kulturellen Leben der lokalen Gemeinschaft und stellt ein wertvolles Element des regionalen Erbes dar.

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L'église Saint-Joseph à Świętochłowice (Pologne) est un édifice sacré historique, qui se distingue par son histoire riche et son architecture caractéristique. Elle a été construite en 1931, et son concepteur ainsi que son constructeur était Jan Affa. Ce lieu joue un rôle important dans la vie religieuse et culturelle de la communauté locale, constituant un élément précieux du patrimoine de la région.

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位于Świętochłowice（波兰）的圣约瑟夫教堂是一座具有历史意义的宗教建筑，以其丰富的历史和独特的建筑风格而著称。它建于1931年，设计者和建造者是Jan Affa。这个地方在当地社区的宗教和文化生活中扮演着重要角色，同时也是该地区遗产中宝贵的组成部分。


#KościółŚwJózefa #Świętochłowice #DziedzictwoKulturowe #ArchitekturaSakralna #HistoriaPolski

Church of St. Anne, Królowy Most, Poland

The church was built in the first half of the 20th century for the Orthodox parish established in 1900. Construction began in 1913 and was fully completed before 1939.

The temple was constructed in the shape of a Greek cross, using stone and facing brick, in an eclectic style. Inside, there is an iconostasis originating from a church in Grodno. The polychromes of the temple were created by Włodzimierz Wasilewicz in 1939.

#krolowymost #cerkiew #cerkiewprawoslawna #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #podlasie #podlaskie #kosciol #church #polska #poland #swiatynia #temple #chrzescijanstwo #christianity #wiara #religia #religion #faith #view #widok #krajobraz #landscape #archotektura #architecture #architekturasakralna #sacralarchitecture

Defensive Orthodox church, Supraśl, Poland (part 2 of 3)

In September 1947, the Chief Directorate of Museums and Protection of Collections ordered the full reconstruction of the entire monastic complex.

After the war, an agricultural school operated in the monastery buildings, and from the 1980s, the buildings were gradually handed over to the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which carried out conservation and renovation work.

In 2021, the 37-year-long reconstruction of the main church of the monastery was completed. It is a structure that combines defensive and sacred functions, featuring elements of Byzantine and Gothic styles.

#suprasl #cerkiew #cerkiewprawoslawna #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #podlasie #kosciol #church #polska #poland #architektura #architekturasakralna #architecture #sacralarchitecture #temple #swiatynia #chrzescijanstwo #christianity #zamek #castle #monastery #monaster #russians #germans #history #historia

Defensive Orthodox church, Supraśl, Poland (part 1 of 3)

The monastery in Supraśl is one of five male Orthodox monasteries in Poland. Work on the main church, a defensive temple dedicated to the Annunciation, began here in 1510.

In 1635, the monastery came under the control of the Uniates and was administered by the Basilian order for nearly 200 years. This order significantly expanded the complex, adding new Baroque furnishings to the monastery church and a three-tiered iconostasis with a crowning element.

In 1824, after Supraśl fell under Russian rule, the monastery was taken over by the Russian Orthodox Church. The male monastery functioned until 1915, when the monks went into exile.

During the interwar period, the monastery buildings belonged to the Salesians.

From 1939 to 1941, the monastery was devastated by the Soviet troops stationed there. A kitchen was set up in the Church of St. John the Theologian, and a forge was established in the main temple. Soldiers removed icons from the building and destroyed the Baroque iconostasis.

In 1944, retreating Germans blew up the main church and forced the monks to leave the monastery. The remains of the temple were secured as a permanent ruin after World War II.

#suprasl #cerkiew #cerkiewprawoslawna #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #podlasie #kosciol #church #polska #poland #architektura #architekturasakralna #architecture #sacralarchitecture #temple #swiatynia #chrzescijanstwo #christianity #zamek #castle #monastery #monaster #russians #germans #history #historia

Tatar mosque, Bohoniki, Poland

The second mosque located on the “Tatar Trail” of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, much younger than the mosque in Kruszyniany, built in 1873. The temple that was originally located in this place completely burned down. Rebuilt - it was devastated by the Germans, who used it as a field hospital during World War II. Over the years it was renovated many times.

The mosque is made of wood, a low square building, distinguished from the surrounding houses of Podlasie by a turret (minaret) with an onion-shaped dome and a crescent-shaped tip.

The interior of the mosque consists of 3 parts. First, we enter the vestibule, where we must take off our shoes. During prayer, women go to the female part, i.e. Babiniec, which is separated from the male part by a wooden wall with a gap. It is covered by a transparent fabric through which the ladies observe the service.

The most important place in the mosque is the mihrab, a small recess in the wall that always points in the direction of Mecca. Equally important is the minbar, i.e. the type of pulpit from which the imam delivers his teachings. The mosque’s floors are covered with soft carpets, the walls are decorated with colorful paintings, photos and muhirs, i.e. quotes from the Koran, the holy book of Muslims.

#bohoniki #meczet #mosque #tatarzy #tatars #tartars #poland #polska #architektura #architecture #sacralarchitecture #architekturasakralna #woodenarchitecture #architekturadrewniana #polishtatars #polishtartars #polscytatarzy #podlasie #widok #landscape #krajobraz #swiatynia #temple #budynek #building

Tatar mosque, Kruszyniany, Poland

In the 17th century, the village of Kruszyniany was given by King Jan III Sobieski to the Tatars, who took part in the war against the Turks, siding with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 45 Tatar families settled in the village, including Colonel Samuel Murza Krzeczowski, who saved the king’s life in the Battle of Parkany (1683).

After settling, the Tatar community built a mosque, which is first mentioned in documents from 1717. The current one was probably built in the second half of the 18th century or the first half of the 19th century (the exact date of construction is unknown), on the site of an earlier mosque.

There is also a mizar, i.e. a Muslim cemetery, in Kruszyniany. You can find there tombstones that are even several hundred years old (the oldest dates back to 1699).

The village is also inhabited by Orthodox believers and Catholics. They joke that they have three Sundays: “Muslims start celebrating on Friday, Jews on Saturday, and Catholics and Orthodox on Sunday… There are many holidays and there is no time to work, because out of respect for your neighbor, you should celebrate with him.” ;)

#kruszyniany #polska #poland #meczet #mosque #tatarzy #tatars #architektura #architecture #sacralarchitecture #architekturasakralna #woodenarchitecture #architekturadrewniana #polscytatarzy #polishtatars