Church of Saints Peter and Paul

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

Krakow was the first building to be constructed in Baroque style. Work on the construction of the church, which is dedicated to the Jesuit order, began in 1596, but unfortunately was not problem-free. As a result of construction errors the freshly-erected church walls began to crack. The builders therefore decided to demolish the walls and deepen the foundations. Finally, the church, which was modeled on the Italian Jesuit churches of Il Gesu and Sant'Andrea della Valle, was completed in 1619. The most characteristic elements of the building are the statues of the apostles built into the church wall. At present, sculptures surround the church, which are copies of late seventeenth century sandstone statues. Acid rain destroyed the originals, having washed out the figures' faces. Inside the church, it is worth paying attention to the Baroque Giovanni Battista Falconi stucco decoration, dating from 1633, and the gilded statues of the Evangelists also by the same artist. In the crypt is the tomb of the most famous Polish Jesuit priest - Father Piotr Skarga. In the church, Poland's longest Foucault pendulum can be seen (which is a pendulum that is able to move in any vertical plane). Organised presentations of the pendulum are held every Thursday.