Church of Saints Andrew Świerad and Benedict in Tropie

The Parish Church of the Holy Hermits Andrzej Świerad and Benedict in Tropie, dating back to the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, is one of the oldest churches in Lesser Poland. Likely founded by Casimir the Restorer around 1045, it was consecrated by Saint Stanislaus the Martyr around 1073. The building was erected on the site of the hermitage of Saint Świerad, a Benedictine monk, and only the walls of the presbytery and fragments of the nave remain from the original structure. Significant renovations took place in the 15th and 16th centuries, including the addition of an upper level and vaulting. For a time, the church was used by Protestants and later by the Polish Brethren. Architecturally, it is an oriented structure, originally single-nave with a distinct presbytery, built from sandstone blocks, with later additions such as a sacristy, chapel, and porch. The interior features a 17th-century polychrome ceiling depicting the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which is a copy of a work by Giorgio Vasari. Conservation efforts have uncovered fragments of Romanesque paintings, including an image of Saint Stephen, indicating the church's connection to the Benedictine artistic milieu. The interior is adorned with altars featuring rich ornamentation and epitaphs, including one of the founders, Jan Wiernek. The church houses valuable relics and a ten-voice organ from 1948. Interestingly, the bell tower contains three bells, among them one dedicated to Saint Benedict and another to Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help. It is also worth noting that the original walls of the church have preserved historical sections, making it a valuable site for the study of sacred architecture and the history of the region.