St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chwarszczany

The Church of St. Stanislaus in Chwarszczany, originally a Templar chapel, is one of the most valuable historical monuments of Western Pomerania. The first chapel, a single-nave structure, was probably built in the mid-13th century and was demolished around 1280. The present Gothic church was constructed before 1280 in the reduced Gothic style by Cistercians. It features an elongated nave with a polygonal apse and two cylindrical towers, giving it a unique appearance. The walls are made of granite and brick, decorated with pointed-arch portals and windows. The interior of the church is ascetic, with rib-vaulted ceilings, and the only decorative elements are the 19th-century galleries and Gothic windows. The polychromes from the early 15th century, depicting apostles and saints, are also of artistic value and are considered a rare example of medieval paintings in the region. After the war, the paintings were irreversibly painted over, and attempts to restore them in 1996 encountered financial difficulties. The church also contains a fragment of the tombstone of Hans von Rotkirch and a 19th-century pulpit. The bell cast in 1875, located on the western facade, is another interesting feature. The church combines historical, architectural, and cultural significance as a unique monument, reflecting the rich heritage of the region and the influences of various eras.