St. Catherine's Church in Zamość

St. Catherine's Church in Zamość is a Baroque temple from the second half of the 17th century, located in the northern part of Zamość's Old Town. It was built between 1680 and 1686 on the initiative of Marcin Zamoyski and Hieronim Żaboklicki, and consecrated on May 26, 1686. Initially, the church was part of a monastery of the Reformed Franciscans, but after the dissolution of the order in 1782, the building was converted into a military warehouse. During the partitions under Russian rule, the monastery was demolished, and the church itself underwent reconstructions in the Classicist style, which diminished its architectural richness, though the Baroque vaults and some details remained untouched. After World War I, the church briefly served as a theater before undergoing renovation in 1925–1926 and becoming a school church dedicated to St. Catherine. During World War II, the crypts of the church hid Jan Matejko's valuable painting "The Prussian Homage" from German occupiers. After the war, a monument commemorating professors and students of Zamość schools killed during the conflict was placed inside, along with relics of St. Andrew Bobola and St. Pio of Pietrelcina. In the late 1990s, the church was restored to its original appearance, including its roof and gables, and interior renovation work was carried out. The surroundings of the church feature new walls and a monument-cross dedicated to the victims of Katyn. The interior of the single-nave church impresses with wooden altars, a late Baroque painting of St. Catherine, and Rococo-style angel sculptures. An interesting fact is that during the church's time as a theater, Matejko's masterpiece was hidden in the crypts and returned to Kraków after the war, highlighting its historical significance. Plans are underway to construct the "Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński House of the Third Millennium" on the site of the former monastery. St. Catherine's Church is an important cultural landmark of Zamość, blending a rich history with the activities of contemporary generations.