Church of Peace in Świdnica

The Church of Peace in Świdnica is the largest wooden Baroque church in Europe, built under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War. The building belongs to the Świdnica parish of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2001.

Built in ten months

The foundation stone of the church was laid on 23 August 1656. The design was created by the Wrocław architect Albrecht von Saebisch, and construction was led by the Świdnica carpenter Andreas Kaemper. After ten months of work, the first service was held in the new church on 24 June 1657. The structure uses the half-timbered system, that is wooden frames filled with clay and straw, and the building itself was erected on a Greek cross plan. The church is 44 metres long and 30.5 metres wide, with an interior area of 1,090 square metres. The ground floor and four levels of galleries could hold 7,500 people, including 3,000 seated places.

Interior furnishings

The pulpit was made in 1729 by Gotfried August Hoffmann, who was also the author of the main altar from 1752-1753. The baptismal font dates from 1661, the work of the sculptor Pankratius Werner. The Hochberg family box from 1698, intended for the church's benefactors, has survived in the church, and paintings from 1694-1696 were made by two Świdnica painters, Chrystian Sussenbach and Chrystian Kolitschek. The present organ dates from 1909 and is the work of the firm Schlag & Söhne, the fifth in the church's history. The earlier Baroque organ from 1666-1669 had 62 stops.

Immovable heritage site and historic monument

The church has been entered in the register of immovable heritage sites, with the register dating its construction to 1657-1659. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001, and in March 2017 it was also designated a historic monument. Beside the church stands a timber-and-brick vicarage, entered in the register of historic monuments and dated to the 17th century, with a classicist architectural character.

Peace Square and the surroundings

The church stands on Peace Square in Świdnica, surrounded by historic buildings and a cemetery. It remains an active parish, where services have been held continuously since 1657. Nearby, within Świdnica, it is worth visiting the Cathedral of St Stanislaus and St Wenceslaus, the Museum of Old Trade in Świdnica and the town hall tower.

Practical information

• Address: Plac Pokoju 6, Świdnica.
• Contact: visits to the church are organised by the parish; detailed hours and visiting rules should be checked on the kosciolpokoju.pl website before a visit.
• What to expect: the interior of the largest wooden Baroque church in Europe with Baroque furnishings, and a historic square with period buildings and a cemetery.