The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Krakow is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Krakow. This church belongs to the Jesuit Order and is located near the Church of St. Andrew, the oldest church in Krakow. 200 meters to the south is the Wawel Castle.
The construction of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul is connected with the appearance of the Jesuit Order in Krakow. King Sigismund attached great importance to the protection of the Catholic Church, so he allocated the Jesuit Order a place near the oldest church of St. Andrew. By that time, Krakow had practically lost its metropolitan functions. The King was aware of the need to move the capital to the central regions of the country.
The reason for the transfer of the capital was a strong fire in the Wawel Castle in 1595. After that, King Sigismund III decided to move the capital of Poland to Warsaw. However, this fact did not stop the construction of the Church of St. Peter and Paul. Krakow still remained an important city for Poland. The coronation of kings was held in Krakow for two more centuries.
The construction of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul began in 1597. Italian architects Giuseppe Brizio and then Giovanni Bernardoni built it successively. The Jesuit Church acquired its present appearance in 1605, when the architect Giovanni Trevano reconstructed the monumental facade. All the architects were members of the Jesuit Order.
In front of the facade of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, sculptures of 12 apostles were installed along the fence in 1722, which became one of the symbols of Krakow. Now the original sculptures are kept in the Historical Museum. The altar of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul was created in 1735 in the late Baroque style. The church has excellent acoustics, so organ concerts are held here almost daily. You can also see Foucault`s Pendulum here.
