Town or city Zamość Completed 1685 Opened 1685 Architectural style Baroque architecture Construction started 1637 | Country Poland Client Franciscan Order Phone +48 84 627 09 44 Demolished 1887 | |
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Address Stanisława Staszica 1, 22-400 Zamość, Poland Architects Jan Michał Link, Jan Jaroszewicz Similar Cathedral of the Resurrect, Old City, Zamość Fortress, Museum of Zamość, Great Market Square | ||
Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Polish: Kościół Zwiastowania NMP w Zamościu) commonly known as the Franciscan Church (Polish: Kościół Franciszkanów) is a Baroque Franciscan church in the Old Town in Zamość dedicated to the Annunciation. The largest church in Zamość (56-meter long and 29-meter wide) was regarded as one of the most prominent 17th-century churches in Poland.
History
The construction of one of the largest 17th-century Polish churches, has started with arriving in the city of the Franciscan friars in 1637, and was founded by Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski. It was erected in Baroque style on the site of the former Bourse, an association of merchants. The construction work began under Jan Jaroszewicz and Jan Wolff between 1637–1665, and was completed by the artillery major Jan Michał Link (Linek) of Prawdzic coat of arms between 1680-1685.
The structure, taller and larger than the other churches in the city (even larger than Zamość Cathedral), consisted of three aisles, a semicircular chancel and two side chapels. The interior of the church was decorated with a profuse polychromy and sculptures. The present site of Liberty Square was occupied by a Franciscan monastery, and in the north-western corner the bell tower was erected.
The greatest changes occurred during the Partitions of Poland in 1784, after the takeover of the city by the Austrian, when the order was suppressed. During the period of modernization in the Zamość Fortress under Russian rule, the church building was turned into a military store. The interior was divided into tiers, the bell tower and the monastery were torn down slightly later. The most significant changes in the building's outer appearance occurred in 1887, when the roof was lowered, the high peaks were pulled down and the vaulting inside the church was changed into a simple slab.
Then the church building was used by numerous institutions, including County Council, museum or cinema, which was located here until 1994. After World War II the Fine Arts High School occupied the western part of the building. In 1993, the structure was returned to the Franciscan friars, who started its reconstruction.