Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Dobropole Gryfińskie

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Dobropole Gryfińskie is a neo-Gothic building from 1862-1863, a branch church of the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians in Stare Czarnowo. It stands on a raised village green in Stare Czarnowo municipality.

A building with granite ashlar

The church was built of brick and split stone on a rectangular plan. The corners, window surrounds and tower portal are made of granite ashlar taken from the demolition of an earlier church. On the east side it is closed by a five-sided apse with a cross-rib vault, and the brick gables are decorated with an arcade frieze. A stone wall surrounds the church grounds.

The tower

The three-storey tower on a square plan has four triangular gables, clock faces and a stepped portal on the ground floor. The former spire with a lantern was pulled down in 1977, and today it is topped by a sheet-metal hipped roof. In the nave the pews and a choir gallery supported on a pillar have survived.

After the war the church stood unused and fell into disrepair. It was consecrated for Catholics on 9 June 1977. In the area lie the arboretum in Glinna and the Cistercian abbey in Kołbacz.

Practical information

• Address: Dobropole Gryfińskie, Stare Czarnowo municipality.
• This is a branch church, so the interior is usually open mainly during services. Check Mass times and the possibility of visiting with the parish.