St. Martin's Church in Ćwiklice

St. Martin's Church in Ćwiklice is a wooden Baroque temple that belongs to the Wooden Architecture Trail in the Silesian Voivodeship. Located in the Pszczyna County, its first mentions date back to 1326, and the current building was constructed on the basis of an earlier structure between 1464 and 1466, making it one of the oldest wooden log churches in Silesia. The fact that it was originally built in the Gothic style and underwent numerous architectural transformations is a testament to its rich history. The reconstruction in the 18th century and alterations to its shape during renovations at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries reflect the dynamic development and changes in sacred aesthetics. In 2010, the church suffered damage from a flood, which destroyed its foundations and flooring. Architecturally, the church features an oriented log structure, with a rectangular nave, a presbytery closed with a straight wall, and a unique tower whose lower part is integrated into the building's mass. The interior of the church is rich in 18th-century elements, including three late Baroque altars and a 15th-century triptych in the side chapel. Interesting details include 16th-century doors and a Rococo baptismal font. The interior ornamentation consists of polychromes from the late 17th century, depicting scenes from the life of St. Martin, the parish's patron saint. In the 1970s, the ceiling of the nave was slightly altered, which obscured some of the earlier polychromes. The organ currently present in the church was built in 1982, while its predecessor from the late 19th century is housed in the Museum of Silesian Organs, reflecting the region's long organ-building tradition. The church is not only an important element of local culture and history but also attracts tourists with its unique style and history, making it a significant point on the map of Silesia's wooden architecture.