Church of St Francis of Assisi in Wałbrzych

The Church of St Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Podgórze district of Wałbrzych.

From inn to church

The parish's history begins in 1887, when canon Franz of Wrocław bought six hectares of land with the buildings of a former inn, distillery and theatre hall. A year later the buildings were converted into a church, and the church became the property of the princely episcopal curia in Wrocław. The consecration took place on 28 November 1889, when the church received the dedication to St Francis of Assisi. The first caretaker of the parish was Father Herman Wagner, who became its first parish priest from November 1891.

New church and bells

The cornerstone for a new, larger church was laid on 2 July 1933. The work was completed in 1937 with the consecration of the last wall paintings depicting the life of the patron saint. Three bells were hung in the tower: of the Holy Trinity, of St Francis and Ave Maria. During the Second World War two of them were taken for armaments production; today the tower carries the bells of Mary, Queen of Poland and of St Francis.

After the war

In 1945, with the consent of the apostolic administrator, Monsignor Karol Milik of Wrocław, a house for Pallottine priests and brothers was established at the church. Inside stands an organ from 1973, built by the Warsaw organ-building firm Kamiński, with 24 stops.

Practical information

• The church is located in the Podgórze district of Wałbrzych; the exact address and Mass times are worth checking before visiting.
• Nearby you can combine a visit with climbing Zamkowa Góra or a visit to the Stara Kopalnia Centre of Science and Art.