St Anne's Church in Świebodzice

St Anne's Church in Świebodzice is a ruined church in the Pełcznica district, considered the oldest sacred monument within the city limits. The church was single-nave, round, of a defensive character, built in the Romanesque style.

A construction date that is hard to establish

The exact construction date is not known, as no building documents have survived. It is assumed that the church was built at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries or earlier, when Pełcznica belonged to the comes Imbram, a close advisor of Duke Henry the Bearded. The first strictly historical mention of the church dates from 1226, during the rule of Henry the Bearded, when the building was probably consecrated by the Archbishop of Salzburg, Henry. A further mention, from 1228, speaks of the church's major role in the defensive system of the Pełcznica settlement.

Dispute over the church's role

Around 1250 a dispute arose between the parish priests of this church and of St Nicholas' Church, which brought the building fame.

Rebuilding and destruction

Field stone and clay were used for the construction, as with the city's defensive walls. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries the church was rebuilt from the Romanesque to the Gothic style. According to tradition, the building burned down after being struck by lightning and has remained a ruin ever since.

Practical information

• Village: Świebodzice, Pełcznica district, Świdnica County.
• The building is a ruin, with no active church. Visiting is limited to viewing the remains from the outside.
• Nearby also lie Książ and Stary Książ Castle.