The Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Kościół parafialny p.w. Świętych Apostołów Piotra i Pawła) is one the many attractive religious landmarks that grace the Old Town of Kraków. This Jesuit-built Baroque structure dates back to the late 1500s and took over 20 years to complete. Visit the Church of Saints Peter and Paul to admire its artistic features and learn about a scientific device that proves the rotation of planet Earth.
Guarding the church is a row of stone columns, each crowned by intricate sculptures of the Twelve Apostles. Step through the gates to a courtyard and take a moment to inspect the elaborate dolomite stone façade. Noteworthy aspects are statues of Jesuit saints and the emblem of the Society of Jesus (also known as Jesuit Order). Legend states that the church’s founders spent so much on the façade that the remainder had to be built from ordinary bricks.
Go inside and browse the collection of art by Giovanni Battista Falconi. This includes gilded statues of the Four Evangelists and stuccowork depicting the lives of St. Peter and St. Paul. In the chancel are the crypt and sarcophagus of Father Piotr Skarga. He was a revered Jesuit preacher and the priest of King Sigismund III of Poland.
Visit on a Thursday to attend the demonstration of the church’s Foucault pendulum. Named after the French scientist Jean Bernard Léon Foucault, this tool is a simple device showing that the Earth spins. The pendulum itself is a heavy weight attached to a long string that is able to swing in any vertical plane.
This lovely church sits at the southern edge of the Old Town. It’s about a 20-minute walk from Kraków Glówny, which is the city’s central railway station. Nearby attractions are the Archaeology Museum of Krakow, Kraków Pinball Museum and Wawel Cathedral.
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is open daily and donations are welcome. Pay a fee to attend one of the chamber music recitals that are conducted regularly. Mass services in Polish take place daily.
