Church of Christ the King in Szczecin

The Church of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic parish church in Skolwin, a district of Szczecin. The brick church survived the Thirty Years' War and the Second World War, and its present form dates from the rebuilding of 1689.

History of the church

In 1286 Hermann von Gleichen, Bishop of Kamień, allowed the parish priest of St Mary's Church in Szczecin to take over the spiritual care of the church in Skolwin. In 1484 the church, together with the village, became the property of St Mary's Church. In the second half of the 15th century it was thoroughly rebuilt, and during the Thirty Years' War it was seriously damaged. In the second half of the 17th century it was reduced to the status of a filial church of the Szczecin-Glinki parish. The building escaped destruction in the Second World War and on 11 August 1946 it was consecrated as a Catholic church, when it also received the dedication to Christ the King.

Structure and furnishings

The church is oriented and built on a rectangular plan, without a separate chancel, with a tower standing at the west end. The walls were built of Gothic brick on a stone foundation of large erratic boulders. The whole is surrounded by a chamfered plinth, and the building is crowned with a semicircular brick cornice with a wooden beam.

Of the furnishings, the following have survived or been restored, among others: the Baroque pulpit altar superstructure of 1692, elements of the pulpit bowl, a Baroque organ gallery and a Neo-Renaissance organ case (the instrument has survived to this day). There are also two Baroque candlesticks and chandeliers from 1692.

Practical information

• Location: Skolwin, a district of Szczecin; the church belongs to the Szczecin-Żelechowa deanery.
• The interior is made available by the parish, so it is worth checking the visiting and service times before a visit.
• About 3 km away stands the Church of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.