Location: Ukraine, district: Lviv, locality: Zhovkva, street: 18 Vicheva

Technical data: brick building, plastered outside

Historical outline

At the beginning of the 17th century, Hetman Stanislav Zhovkva, the founder and owner of Zhovkva at that time, dreamt of making his private town a real pearl of the Eastern Renaissance. He invited truly outstanding artists to the project. Everything in it was to be coherent and arranged. Among the various ideas, there was also a building that would have not only sacred but also symbolic value. The idea mainly revolved around a family mausoleum and a thanksgiving votive offering for the battles won, combined with a pantheon of the Polish knighthood of those years. The building was erected between 1606 and 1618, with the consecration taking place on 28 May 1623. Żółkiewski, as the founder, dreamt of a work original and unparalleled in the scale of the whole kingdom. He was fully aware of the intricacy and meandering nature of the matter. So he hired the best specialists he could get his hands on to design it. The most important of these was Pavel, known as "Happy", one of the most successful and busy architects of Lviv at that time. Unfortunately, he died in 1610, so he did not manage to fully complete the work. Therefore, Ambrose, called Przychylny, and Pavel Romany took part in the project. With the wisdom of many minds and the work of many hands, it was possible to erect a building that was unique and inimitable in terms of the architecture of the time in the Polish lands.

Żółkiewski lived to see the end of the construction, but did not live to see the consecration. He died on the field of glory in 1620, and the farewell speech at his funeral was given by castellan Jakub Sobieski, father of the future King of Poland Jan III Sobieski. In the same year, the Hetman's widow Regina Zółkiewska founded a collegiate church (a congregation of equal canons) in the church, whose status the temple lost in 1800 as a result of the Josephine suppression. Later the building became a parish church and in this form it existed until the end of the Second World War. It is noteworthy that during all these centuries it functioned in a generally correct condition, avoiding fires, looting and other factors that were side-effects of historical turmoil. This does not mean, however, that the building continually experienced protracted years of splendour. After the death of King Jan III Sobieski, it began to be forgotten. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that it was "rediscovered", thoroughly renovated and brought to a better condition.

The interwar period saw a renaissance in the splendour of the place. Many knightly memorabilia from years gone by were collected in the building and it was called the "Pantheon of Polish Arms". At the time, the church was considered one of the three most important churches in the country. To this day we can find in the church a moving memorial plaque from 1937 with the inscription "TO HIS SZEF/HETM. HIS COMMANDANT/HETMAN STANISŁAW/ŻÓŁKIEWSKI/6.REGK STRZELCÓW KONNYCH".

The worst period for the building was between 1946 and 1989, when the Soviets closed it to the faithful and used it as a warehouse. Devastation of the church followed. The pews and confessionals were burnt. The crypts with the tombs of the Żółkiewski, Sobieski and Daniłowicz families were profaned. Some of the furnishings were stolen or destroyed. Fortunately, some valuable artefacts were saved and moved, among others, to the gallery storage in the former Capuchin monastery in Olesko.

The political upheaval that took place on the occasion of perestroika brought many changes. In 1989, the local Catholic parish community won back the dilapidated building for itself. The authorities of the free Ukraine, which regained independence in 1991, generally favoured the reconstruction of the devastated church. It would not have succeeded, however, had it not been for the determination of the Polish side. For 20 years, a deep and careful restoration of the building took place, involving more than a hundred conservators and students from the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Specialists from Kraków and Toruń also took part in the work. Financial support was provided by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the "Polish Community" Association, the Polish Army, the Municipality of the Capital and Royal City of Krakow and the Foundation for the Protection of Monuments in Warsaw. The project was also made possible thanks to the favour of the Ukrainian authorities and the Society for the Protection of Monuments in Lviv. Unfortunately, not all Ukrainian institutions cooperated in a smooth and trouble-free manner. Nevertheless, between 1989 and 2009, the tombs, altars and pulpit were repaired. Sculptures, inscriptions and memorial plaques were reconstructed and some paintings were restored.

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The church is located on one of the town's market squares. It sits on a very slight rise and is surrounded by a not very high wall. On all sides, it breathes a defined space. Most notably from the side of Vychev Square. Seemingly, the building is somewhat overshadowed by the nearby Basilian Complex (with its picturesque churches), which was in part also founded by Hetman Żółkiewski. However, if we take a closer look, we can see a rich collection of very significant and historically valuable details.

Of the most important ones, the first to attract attention is the carved frieze depicting knightly motifs, busts of knights and other references to the mission of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the borderlands of the Latin world. It wraps around the church from the outside and reminds us of Żółkiewski's basic idea in terms of the symbolism of the building. Above, the façade is framed by pilasters in the Doric order. Looking from the general perspective, we see a structure with a rectangular nave, square transept arms and a three-sided, closed presbytery. On the south side, between the arms of the transept and the chancel, there is a sacristy. A treasury is located to the north. The building was built on a Latin cross plan.

Inside, the main altar of the late Baroque style attracts attention. In the lower part, there is a statue of Jesus on the cross. On top is a painting depicting St Lawrence. The side sections contain tombstones of the Żółkiewski family built in the Renaissance style. Two identical late Renaissance portals lead to the sacristy and the treasury, located on the other side.

Other important elements related to the church's decoration, furnishings and surroundings include:

The Bell Tower, which is a separate building standing nearby. It was originally built as a defensive tower, as can be seen from some of its features,

The tombstone of Castellan Jakub Sobieski located at the entrance to the presbytery on the north wall,

Tombstone of Starosta Stanisław Daniłowicz located at the entrance to the presbytery on the south wall,

Marble sarcophagi of the Zolkiewski family, Sobieski and Danilowicz (in the crypt),

Sculptures of the four Evangelists located on the pendentives of the dome,

Holy Trinity altar,

Altar of the Virgin Mary,

Stoupled crozier,

Baptismal font.