St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Brok

The Church of St. Andrew the Apostle in Brok is a Roman Catholic building dating back to the 16th century, located in the picturesque town of Brok at Church Square. It belongs to the Ostrów Mazowiecka - Christ the Good Shepherd deanery. Its architecture combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements. The first mentions of the church date back to the 12th century, and its foundation was confirmed in 1239. The current structure, initiated by the Bishop of Płock, Samuel Maciejowski, between 1542 and 1545, was completed around 1560 by Andrzej Noskowski. The church was consecrated in the same year. It has undergone numerous restorations, including in 1744 after war damage and after World War II. Between 1969 and 1971, Renaissance polychromes were discovered on the ceiling, and further conservation work took place from 1992 onwards, contributing to the interior's renewal and modernization. In 1997, the roof was covered with copper sheeting. The church boasts a Gothic structure and a Renaissance vault, with an apse-ended presbytery. The interior is adorned with arcades and richly decorated altars, the main one dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle. The Baroque main altar from the 18th century features images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The preserved polychromes depict biblical figures, and the baptismal font, dated to 1682, is shaped like a chalice. In the Chapel of St. Anne, there is a 16th-century tombstone. The church's surroundings are enhanced by an 18th-century park, which includes natural monuments and a papal oak tree, planted by the Bishop of Łomża from an acorn of the oldest oak in Poland, the "Chrobry" oak, blessed by Pope John Paul II. The church received an award in the "Well-Maintained Monument" competition in 2003, underscoring its cultural and historical significance in the region.