Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Augustów

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Augustów is an impressive temple built between 1906 and 1911 in an eclectic style, on the site of the demolished Church of St. Bartholomew. Its dimensions are 50 meters in length, 20 meters in width, and 15 meters in height to the vault, while the towers reach a height of 50 meters. The church, constructed of brick and plastered, features a three-nave design. The builder was Father Wincenty Nowicki, who served as parish priest from 1899 to 1924. Bishop Stanisław Kostka Łukomski consecrated the temple in 1932. As a result of wartime actions, the building was destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt in 1947, with the towers completed in 1986. In 2001, the basilica was granted the title of a minor basilica. It is worth adding that on December 9, 2012, a stone with a commemorative plaque and a cross honoring the victims of the Tu-154M plane crash in Smolensk was unveiled in front of the basilica. The interior of the basilica is adorned with several altars, the main one of which is in the Neo-Renaissance style, featuring an richly decorated predella and statues of saints. The other altars, dedicated to St. Anthony, St. Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as St. Isidore and the Holy Family, also showcase artistic sculptures and paintings, often signed by artists such as B. Rutkowski. Thanks to its outstanding architecture and cultural heritage, the basilica is an important landmark of Augustów, attracting both residents and tourists.