The little Church of Saint John Nepomuk is located in the vicinity of ul Mikołaja Kopernika and Aleja Dąbska in Park Szczytnicki. Together with the Japanese Garden, the church is considered a highlight of the historic park.
Renovation is going to cover the shingled roof and tower. New insulation and gutter systems are to be provided. In August, the Board of the Parks and Landscape Service put the work out to tender. Bids were accepted by 11 September. Only one offer was submitted.
"The offer is now being verified formally. The decision to agree the tender will be announced next week," says Małgorzata Szafran from the Press Department of the Municipality Office in Wroclaw.
The specifications of the tender stipulate that renovation work must be completed by 15 December.
500 years of history
People sometimes miss the church as they stroll around the park. The building is hidden among the trees. However, it is worth to look at in more detail.
The site has been included in the Register of Objects of Cultural Heritage. Its timber structure, which dates back to the 16th century, and was made by carpenters from Stare Koźle in Upper Silesia. This is where the church was initially located. Later on it was relocated to Kędzierzyn, and in 1913 to Wroclaw. The church was on display as part of the Centenary Exhibition (which also focused on the history of Silesia) in the section devoted to gardening and funerary arts. It was also at the time that the area around the church was converted into a typical village graveyard. A mediaeval penitential cross, which used to stand on the outskirts of the village Muchobór Wielki, can be found in its centre. In 1913, the reconstruction of the church was supervised by Theo Effenberger, an architect and one of the creators of the WUWA exhibition. From 1957–1966, the church was the property of the parish of Our Lady of Consolation located in ul Wittiga.
The church hit the headlines at the end of the 1950s,when it served as a hide-away for thieves. In 1957, a number of paintings from the National Museum in Wroclaw, including works by Matejko, Kossak and Gierymski, were secretly kept in the church.
Since 1971, the church has been taken care of by PTTK Wrocław-Fabryczna. It also holds weddings from time to time. The site is also open to visitors on Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm. Admission is free.
Those of you who wish to see the church's interior before renovation are invited on Sunday 14 September.
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