St Catherine and St Margaret's Church

The church is a foundation of King Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki), who brought the Order of St Augustine here, into whose hands the church was recently returned. The construction of the Gothic basilica began around 1343. Unfortunately, it was never fully completed. It was even rumoured that the construction of the church was marred by the curse that Bishop Bodzanta issued against the King to punish the alleged debaucheries of the monarch. The unpleasant news was heralded by a Curate of the Cathedral, Father Marcin Baryczka. In an outburst of anger, the king had the messenger drowned: a deed for which the church of St Catherine and St Margaret was to be an expiation.

Whatever happened, the conflict between the king and the bishop had in fact much deeper roots, and touched the delicate matter of the relationships between the monarchy and the church. The mission sent to Pope Clement VI in 1350, resulted in the lifting of the curse, yet for the price of building a number of churches. This is how the bishop’s anathema served indirectly not only Kraków, but also Polish sacred architecture...

Initially, the construction progressed quickly and without problems. Yet in 1443, the vaulting of the chancel gave way due to an earthquake. As the cataclysm rendered no other serious damage, the quality of work of the church’s masons has to be suspect. The catastrophe initiated years of quite unfortunate events for the church. It had been reconstructed by the beginning of the 16th century, yet soon it fell victim to successive disasters: the flood of 1534 and the fire of 1556. During the Swedish invasion, the church and monastery were turned into a field hospital, munitions storehouse, and stables. The earth shook again in Kraków in 1786, and again it was only the Church of St Catherine that suffered. In 1796, following the Third Partitioning of Poland, the Austrians closed the church for good, turning it into a military warehouse and arsenal. When, weakened by the earthquakes, the vaulting of the nave collapsed for the last time (1826), the church was threatened with demolition. Yet the Augustinian Order acquired funds for the restoration of the church, which began in the mid-19th century and continues – though with interruptions – to this day.

Despite all these adversities, the church has maintained its noble, Gothic character. The austere interior is embellished with the late Renaissance tomb of Spytek Jordan and the baroque high altar. Adjacent to the church to the south is a porch with crow-stepped portal ends, rich tracery, and stone decorations. The chapel of St Monica, whose vaults are supported on an octagonal pillar, serves as an oratorio to Augustinian Sisters from the convent of the Order on the other side of Skałeczna Street. The covered porch that connects it to the church is a characteristic feature of the neighbourhood.

Adjacent to the north is the spacious monastery whose cloisters contain quite well preserved Gothic murals (a rarity!), a Chapel with the image of Our Lady of Consolation painted on a wall, and the baroque Chapel of Isaiah Boner, known as “the Blessed”.