St Stephen's Church in Wrocław

St Stephen's Church in Wrocław is a Roman Catholic parish church on Kamieniecka Street in the Tarnogaj estate.

From barrack to church

The place where the church stands has an unusual history. A wooden barrack stood here, in which the Germans held prisoners of war before the end of the war, and after the capitulation of Festung Breslau the Soviets used it for a time as a stable. In autumn 1945 the barrack was adapted for religious use, and the first service was held there on 30 October 1945. It served as a makeshift chapel for almost thirty years, before permission was obtained to build a permanent church.

Building the new church

In August 1980 parishioners illegally enclosed the old barrack with a brick wall and covered it with a steel-framed roof, to a design by the architect Zenon Nasterski. Construction was completed in 1980, and the bell tower and presbytery were added in 1999-2000. Since 25 September 2000 the building has functioned as a parish church. The church is 18 metres long and its nave is 11 metres wide, built of brick, wood and steel. Its form is simple and matched to the neighbouring residential buildings, and the interior is free of decoration, with a steel roof truss visible beneath larch boards.

Tarnogaj and the surrounding area

The church lies in Tarnogaj, in the southern part of Wrocław, a few kilometres from the city centre. Within a few kilometres towards the centre are, among others, the Wrocław Zoo, the Centennial Hall and Wrocław's Market Square with the town hall.

Practical information

• Parish address: ulica Kamieniecka 72, Wrocław (Tarnogaj district)
• The parish also runs a Mass chapel at ulica Bogedaina 5, in the St Brother Albert Aid Society shelter
• Mass times and parish office hours are worth checking before your visit