St Anne Church, Cracow

 

Cracow is full of churches and the first Baroque example I recall is St Anne, the University Church. The former church of 1407 was rebuilt after a big fire and raised to collegiate status staffed by canons, like a cathedral. This church was demolished in 1689 and a new Baroque church built 1689-1703 based loosely on St Andrea deal Valle in Rome. The architect was Tylman van Gameren, a Dutc.hman who came to Poland and acted as the chief architect for King John Sobieski III. His original designs  were more neo-classical and the finished church is far more Baroque. We know that the dome was only begun in 1701 and designed by Franciszek Solari. Others will have had influence in its design including Father Sebastian Piskorski, a great art patron and influential in the University.

This is how I remember it when I attended Mass there in 2001

The stucco work was done by the workshop of Baldassari Fontana, and frescos by Karol Dankwart.

In particular the stucco work is beautifully executed with saints, flying angels hovering playfully.

The right transept contains the tomb of John Cantius, (1390-1473) patron saint of the University. He was revered as priest, scholastic philosopher, physicist and theologian. Through his work and popularity a larger church had had to built and he was eventually canonised in 1767.

Over the high altar is the painting St Anne and Two by Jerzy Eleuter Siegmiginowski (1660-1711). He trained in Paris and Rome and will have encountered Bernini, Poussin, Le Brun and Velazquez. This is his last great religious painting. It is meant to portray the three stages of the Incarnation. St Anne kisses the hand of the Holy Child., while Our Lady looks on with grave expression. 

High altar with St Anne and Two painting

Deatail  of St Anne and Two