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Brzeg Church of St. Nicholas

Brzeg, Powiat brzeski, Opolskie, Poland

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The Church of St. Nicholas is a Roman Catholic church in Brzeg (formerly Brieg). The current structure was constructed between 1370 and 1420 under the reign of Duke Louis I, though the first mention of a church on the site was first mentioned in 1279. The architect chosen for the project, Master Gunther, had previously designed the churches of St. Elizabeth and St. Mary Magdalene in Wrocław. In 1543, the Reformation reached Brieg, where it found the support of Duke Frederick II and soon converted most of the townspeople. The church was handed over to the Protestant faithful, with whom it remained until 1945. A cemetery originally surrounded the church, which remained in use until 1775 when Frederick II of Prussia forbade burials within cities.

Unfortunately, Brieg was heavily devastated during the Russian advance at the end of WWII, and the church completely burned down between January-February 1945, destroying its wooden interior, most of the decorations, and many valuable epitaphs. With few Protestants remaining in Brzeg after the war, the church remained abandoned for thirteen years until the Catholic priest Kazimierz Makarski spearheaded its reconstruction in 1958. Since that time, the church has belonged to the local Catholic parish. However, it was reconstructed based on its original 14th-century form, thus the interior was considerably stripped down - in fact, some surviving elements like the high alter were dismantled and removed as later additions. Today, only a small portion of its original rich interior remains, with additional fragments scattered throughout various nearby museums.
The Church of St. Nicholas is a Roman Catholic church in Brzeg (formerly Brieg). The current structure was constructed between 1370 and 1420 under the reign of Duke Louis I, though the first mention of a church on the site was first mentioned in 1279. The architect chosen for the project, Master Gunther, had previously designed the churches of St. Elizabeth and St. Mary Magdalene in Wrocław. In 1543, the Reformation reached Brieg, where it found the support of Duke Frederick II and soon converted most of the townspeople. The church was handed over to the Protestant faithful, with whom it remained until 1945. A cemetery originally surrounded the church, which remained in use until 1775 when Frederick II of Prussia forbade burials within cities.

Unfortunately, Brieg was heavily devastated during the Russian advance at the end of WWII, and the church completely burned down between January-February 1945, destroying its wooden interior, most of the decorations, and many valuable epitaphs. With few Protestants remaining in Brzeg after the war, the church remained abandoned for thirteen years until the Catholic priest Kazimierz Makarski spearheaded its reconstruction in 1958. Since that time, the church has belonged to the local Catholic parish. However, it was reconstructed based on its original 14th-century form, thus the interior was considerably stripped down - in fact, some surviving elements like the high alter were dismantled and removed as later additions. Today, only a small portion of its original rich interior remains, with additional fragments scattered throughout various nearby museums.

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  • Added: 5 Jun 2019
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2686026