Saint Vitus church in Mełgiew, Gothic Revival church in Mełgiew, Poland.
Saint Vitus Church is a three-nave basilica on a Latin cross plan, with a higher central nave and a west-facing chancel. It has a three-bay body, five-bay transept and a single-bay rectangular chancel closed by a three-sided apse. A massive four-storey square tower with a slender eight-sided spire and triangular pinnacles fronts the building.
A church stood here before the present one; Stefan Szyller designed its enlargement, but the parish priest chose demolition instead, so Szyller's scheme was rejected and the new church was entrusted to Ksawery Drozdowski. Building began in 1903 or 1906 and ended in 1910, with interior finishing continuing for several years. Bishop Franciszek Jaczewski consecrated it in 1910, and it received its pulpit only in 1929. Both world wars left it without major damage.
The main altar holds a relic of Saint Vitus, a bone from the hand of the patron, and a side altar holds a relic of Father Stanisław Papczyński. The altarpiece of Saint Vitus was painted by Medard Turewicz, probably for the consecration in 1910. The two paintings flanking the main altar, of the Last Supper and the Multiplication of the Loaves, are by Bogusław Szwacz.
The church stands on the western edge of Mełgiew's built-up area, with the presbytery facing west and the tower fronting the entrance side. The massive four-storey tower, topped by an eight-sided spire with a crown of triangular pseudo-wimpergs, is the landmark to steer by. The interior was finished over several years after 1910, so fittings differ in date from the shell.
Stefan Szyller did design an extension of the earlier church on this site, but the parish priest preferred demolition and a new building, so Szyller's scheme was rejected and the work went to Ksawery Drozdowski. The church was consecrated in 1910 by Bishop Franciszek Jaczewski.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,182 contributors worldwide.