Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Krakow

The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Krakow, located at 56 J. Zamoyskiego Street, is a Roman Catholic parish and conventual church of the Redemptorists. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century, with the construction of the monastery beginning in 1902 and the church itself in 1905. The consecration took place on September 8, 1906. Designed by Jan Sas-Zubrzycki, the temple is maintained in the Neo-Romanesque style with Neo-Gothic elements. The structure, built of red brick on the plan of a Latin cross, is a three-nave basilica with a transept and a single-bay presbytery. Architectural details such as the stone portico, stylized columns, and decorative gables give the temple a unique character. Inside, the originally austere interior was transformed in the 1920s with paintings by Julian Krupski, which were later replaced by mosaics in the 1970s. The main altar, dating from 1908, stands out for its Baroque ornamentation and features a depiction of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which is a replica of the painting from the Redemptorist church in Rome. The church also houses an altar of St. Joseph and a pulpit designed by a renowned architect, and its furnishings, including the organ, come from reputable craftsmen. An interesting fact is the process of transforming the interior over time and the history of the pulpit, which was dismantled after World War II, leaving only fragments. Today, the church serves as an important place of worship and a center of life for the Redemptorist community. In 2023, a new educational activity was inaugurated in the building with the relocation of the Redemptorists' Higher Seminary from Tuchów.