St. Lawrence's Church in Zacharzowice

St. Lawrence Church in Zacharzowice is a historic Catholic filial church belonging to the Parish of All Saints in Sieroty, located in the Silesian Voivodeship on the Wooden Architecture Trail. The first mentions of Zacharzowice date back to 1305, while references to the church itself appear in 1447. Between 1570 and 1629, the building was taken over by Lutherans, who likely initiated its current structure under the direction of Pastor Petru Vulpes. After 1629, the parishes of Zacharzowice and Sieroty were merged, and the church underwent multiple renovations, including in the years 1687, 1795, 1824–1827, 1896–1898, and most recently between 2011 and 2012. Architecturally, the church is oriented, built using log construction, with a rectangular nave and a square tower topped with a shingled roof. The interior is adorned with polychromes from the 1960s and a neo-baroque main altar from 1897, which features a painting of St. Lawrence. The left side altar originates from the monastery in Jemielnica and dates to before 1720, with its furnishings including images of saints. The right altar, from 1720, contains a copy of a late Gothic triptych and depictions of saints, whose original elements were stolen in 1997. The church also houses a Baroque pulpit from 1687. The building is surrounded by a cemetery, accessible through an entrance marked by a cross known as "Boża Męka" (God's Passion) from 1899. St. Lawrence Church is not only an important element of local architecture but also a rich chapter in the region's history, reflecting changes in religious denominations and sacred art over the centuries. According to local traditions and historical accounts, the church stands as a symbol of the cultural and religious heritage of Zacharzowice.