Wambierzyce Basilica

The interior of basilica charms with its Baroque splendor. The most precious gem is a small - 28 centimeters high - statue of the Mother of God with a Child from 1380, placed on the throne in the main altar. Precious decor of the church includes also a Baroque pulpit and side altars from nineteenth century.

The temple is surrounded by one of the biggest and most magnificent Calvaries in Europe, which consists of 92 chapels, many crosses and statues showing events from the Passion of Christ and scenes from the New and Old Testament, scattered on the hills of Wambierzyce. There are monumental stairs leading to the temple. A great attraction is a moving nativity scene located in the building at the foot of the Calvary, which originates from the second half of the nineteenth century. It includes nearly 800 statuettes, among which 300 are moving ones. This Baroque basilica was built between 1715 and 1723 on the site of a wooden temple from thirteenth century, in honor of the Madonna of Wambierzyce, who, according to the legends, appeared and made a miracle by restoring a sight of John from Rzeszów.

In 1936 pope Pius XI gave the church a title of a basilica minor. Luckily, the temple survived the Second World War intact. A Calvary was built together with a sanctuary on the initiative of the owner of Wambierzyce. Because of it, Wambierzyce are called a "Silesian Jerusalem".