Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Wierzchowice

The church in Wierzchowice was built in 1769–1773 as a Lutheran church, referred to in sources as “Frederick's Zion” (Friedrichs-Zion). The nave is half-timbered – a wooden frame filled with brick – while a plastered masonry tower with a Baroque cupola rises at the front and can be seen from far down the village street. Today it is the Roman Catholic parish church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and a listed monument.

The real treasure is the interior: according to published descriptions, its Rococo furnishings – pulpit, altar, galleries and organ case – date from the 1780s. Above the doors you can spot the coats of arms of former estate owners from the von Reichenbach and von Burghauss families.

The church stands on ul. Kościelna, at the edge of the Krośnice–Wierzchowice palace and park complex, a few minutes' walk from the Pałac Wierzchowice stop of the narrow-gauge railway, so the two are easy to combine. The interior is usually open during services; the exterior can be seen at any time.