Church of St. John the Baptist in Pilzno

The Church of St. John the Baptist in Pilzno is a Roman Catholic Gothic temple, built in the 14th century during the reign of Casimir the Great. Its current form was established in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the structure is an example of a three-nave basilica with a polygonal apse, a sacristy, and a porch. The church tower is four stories high and has a square floor plan. The walls of the temple are unplastered, except for the northern side aisle, and they feature Gothic elements, including brick and limestone. The interior is adorned with Art Nouveau polychrome paintings from 1909, and its furnishings include valuable artifacts, such as Neo-Gothic altars and sculptures. The church once had rich liturgical equipment, including chalices, monstrances, and pulpits, which changed over the centuries due to fires and renovations, such as those in 1700, 1877, and after World War II. The history of the parish dates back to 1256, and over the centuries, the church was affiliated with various dioceses. Interestingly, in 1783, the Tarnów Diocese was established, to which the church belonged, and Pilzno was considered as its potential seat. In 1998, modernization work was carried out on the church square, which originally functioned as a cemetery until 1784. The church is an important landmark on the cultural map of the region, serving not only as a place of worship but also as a witness to numerous historical events and local identity.