St Giles' Church

According to tradition, the church was founded by Prince Ladislaus Herman in the 11th century as thanksgiving for the birth of his son, Boleslaus. Archaeological research has not however confirmed that version. It was most probably built early in the 14th century from limestone boulders and brick. The little church only consists of a single nave and a narrower, lower chancel with cross ribbed vaulting.

The predominantly baroque furnishing includes two Gothic figures: of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St John (approx. 1470) and a crucifix from around 1520. An interesting feature of the portals is that they were assembled from elements of the late Renaissance tomb of St Hyacinth (Jacek), transferred here from the Dominican church during the reconstruction of the chapel devoted to the Saint.

The Church of St Giles lies adjacent to an interesting two-storey-high building at ul. Podzamcze 2. This baroque house from the early 18th century covered with a characteristic Polish two pitch roof, was unfortunately disfigured by the unceremonious introduction of an arcaded passage during the second world war. Standing in the square just before the church is the Katyń cross (1990) commemorating Polish victims of Soviet crimes, including officers murdered by the Soviet NKVD in Katyń in 1940.