Saints Peter and Paul Church

About

The Church of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul (Polish: Kościół Świętych Apostołów Piotra i Pawła) is a historic Roman Catholic Polish Baroque church located at 52a Grodzka Street in the Old Town of Kraków, Poland. It was built between 1597 and 1619 by Giovanni Maria Bernardoni, who perfected the original design of Józef Britius. It is the biggest of the historic churches of Kraków in terms of seating capacity. Since 1842 it has served the Catholic All Saints parish.

History: The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is the first structure in Kraków designed entirely in the Baroque style, and perhaps the first Baroque building in present-day Poland. It was funded by the King Sigismund III Vasa (Zygmunt III) for the Jesuit order. The plan of the church as a cruciform basilica was drafted by an Italian architect Giovanni de Rossi. His design was carried out by Józef Britius at first (from 1597), and then modified by Giovanni Maria Bernardoni. The final shape of the present-day façade, the dome and its Baroque interior is the work of Giovanni Battista Trevano, who completed them in the years 1605–1619. The Church was ceremonially consecrated on 8 July 1635. Since 1842, it has belonged to...