Church of St. James the Greater Apostle in Wisła Mała

The Church of St. James the Greater Apostle in Wisła Mała is a historic building constructed between 1775 and 1782, serving as an example of wooden sacral architecture and listed on the Wooden Architecture Trail of the Silesian Voivodeship. The history of the church dates back to 1326, when a previous temple was mentioned. In the 16th century, the building was temporarily in the hands of Protestants. The current structure, built by Jerzy Lasek and Jerzy Kasztura, features an oriented log construction on a brick foundation. A sacristy is adjacent to the presbytery, while the nave has a rectangular shape with a southern porch. A distinctive element is the square tower with a post-and-beam structure, housing stairs leading to the music choir. The exterior of the church is surrounded by soboty (overhanging eaves), and the roofs are covered with wood shingles. The interior is decorated with polychrome paintings from 1896, as well as late Baroque and Rococo furnishings. Particularly noteworthy is the Rococo main altar created by Wacław Donay, featuring a painting of St. James the Greater by Ignacy Günther. Other valuable elements include side altars with paintings depicting the miraculous multiplication of bread, as well as St. Valentine and St. John Nepomucene. An interesting detail is the angel-shaped baptismal font crafted by Jan Proezler. The church plays an important role in the local community, serving not only as a place of worship but also as a valuable monument testifying to the rich history of the region.