Kamieniec Podolski became famous for its fortress perceived as an impregnable object, actually and symbolically marking the borders of both the Commonwealth (as a political power) and the Christian world. The religious theme was also strongly present in the sacred buildings - including the presence of religious orders. These included the Dominican congregation, for whom they built a monastery complex with a church that is one of Kamenz's most interesting monuments.

Premonstratensian Order in Kamenets-Podilskyi - historical out line of the monastery complex
. Around 1370, the Dominicans were brought to Kamenets Podolski, where a wooden monastery complex was built for them. The princes of Koriatovich (founders of the monasteries of the Order of Preachers in Smotrich and Chervonogrod) probably contributed to the establishment of the convent. New brick buildings - the church and buildings for the monks - were built after the fire of 1420. Destruction (and subsequent renovation) was not avoided in the modern era either, with fire consuming part of the edifices in the second decade of the 17th century. The presence of precious relics was important for the development of religious worship. The shrine of the Dominicans of Kamenz contained a corporal made of linen from the Holy Land (brought by Fr Janitor in 1391), a miraculous image of Our Lady of the Rosary and a fragment of the Holy Cross tree.

The current political situation also had a significant impact on the functioning of the Order - after Kamieniec was occupied by the Turks (1672), the Dominican church was converted into a mosque. The change of function necessitated, among other things, the insertion of a minbar, i.e. an Islamic pulpit, which has survived in the church to this day. When the centre was regained by the Republic, the monastery's foundation was in relatively poor condition, as confirmed, among other things, by an inventory drawn up in 1708. The necessary renovation - de facto reconstruction in the spirit of the Baroque - was carried out in 1737-1755 thanks to funds donated by Michał Franciszek Potocki. Jan de Witte, an architect and military engineer of Dutch origin, was probably employed on the project. At that time, a floor was added to the convent buildings and a tall tower was added to the church. Inside the church, new altarpieces, an alabaster tabernacle and liturgical paraments and vestments (made of Turkish and Persian fabrics) were installed. Also important for the development of the community was the enlargement of the book collection - also on Potocki's initiative. The renovated monastery functioned until 1843, when the church was suppressed and transformed into a parish church.

The last decade of the 20th century was crucial for the existence and role of today's St Nicholas' Church. In 1993, the building was damaged by fire, and five years later the Dominican complex was taken over by the Pauline Fathers, who wanted to save the place. As early as 1999, the most urgent renovation work began - continuing into the 20th century (mainly thanks to funds donated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage) and allowing the entire church to be thoroughly restored.

Baroque temple
The Dominican Church is one of the most important modern monuments in Kamenets Podolski. The building is dominated by the aforementioned 18th-century tower, housing the main entrance. The ground-floor portal is flanked by columns supporting a beam that crowns the first storey and carries a broken pediment. The ideological programme of the façade refers to the function and history of the building: above the portal there is an inscription indicating Potocki's merits (as the temple's renovator), his family coat of arms (Pilawa) and a relief depicting a dog with a torch - the symbol of the Order of Preachers. Pilaster articulation was used on the upper storeys, and a Baroque helmet was installed at the top of the tower. Pilasters also decorate the interior of the church. At the same time, stucco decoration was used in the body and the presbytery to complement the architectural divisions, maintained in Rococo style. Also noteworthy is the decoration of the chapels surrounding the church. In one of them, dedicated to St Dominic, one can admire polychrome paintings showing iconography related to the Order of Preachers (with the figure of the founder of the congregation visible on the vault among the clouds, accompanied by putti). The paintings were restored in 2015-2016.

The pair of dome chapels are equally interesting. The older one, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, was founded in 1596. In the canopy, from the lantern, stucco mouldings forming geometric motifs diverge. The second chapel, bearing the invocation of the Crucified Lord Jesus, was shaped in its present form around 1618 (after the fire of 1616). The tambour is flanked by Corinthian columns and the cupola has a radial stucco decoration, with the laurel wreath at the base of the lantern radiating out to create a polychrome field.

The church of Kamenets stands out as a valuable example of 18th-century modernisation of a building with medieval origins, combined with the introduction of a light Rococo style into the interior. In addition, the building in question remains an impressive testament to the many years of work involved in trying to restore the splendour of this former architectural pearl.