Sanctuary of Our Lady Thrice Admirable in Koszalin

The Sanctuary of Our Lady Thrice Admirable is a chapel on Chełmska Hill (Góra Chełmska) in Koszalin. It is the centre of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement in the Koszalin-Kołobrzeg diocese. The building is an exact copy of the chapel in Otwock-Świder, and it was consecrated on 1 June 1991 by Pope John Paul II.

A sanctuary on the hill since the 13th century

According to the Wikipedia entry, a sanctuary existed on Chełmska Hill as early as the 13th century, and it flourished most in the Middle Ages, until 1533, when during the Reformation the structures on the hill were pulled down and burnt. Right next to the present chapel the foundations of a chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries have survived.

The road to reconstruction

From 1977 Bishop Ignacy Jeż sought to restore the hill's sacred character, but the application was rejected. In 1981 the authorities agreed to the construction of a theological seminary near Koszalin, but did not agree to the renewal of the sanctuary. The reasons were said to be the proximity of military areas and the inconsistency of the church's plans with the spatial development plan. A location decision was issued only in 1990, and the curia received a building permit for the sacred complex in November of that year.

The site was consecrated on 30 December 1990, and the foundation stone was laid on 14 April 1991. The chapel was built in a few months.

The chapel and the painting

In the chapel hangs a painting of the Mother of God titled Our Lady Thrice Admirable, in Latin Mater Ter Admirabilis. It is a faithful copy of the image from the sanctuary in Schönstatt.

Monuments and plaques on the hill

• At the foot of the hill stands a stone dedicated to Polish soldiers, veterans of the November Uprising interned by the Prussian authorities in 1831, who built a road across Chełmska Hill.
• By the gate leading up the hill stands a monument commemorating John Paul II's pilgrimage in 1991.
• At the top, not far from the chapel, there is a plaque with the Pope's words spoken in Koszalin.
• Beside one of the paths stands a six-tonne boulder from 2011 in memory of the presidents Ryszard Kaczorowski and Lech Kaczyński, pilgrims to the sanctuary.

Nearby

The hill lies about three kilometres from the town centre. In Koszalin you can also see St Gertrude's Chapel, an octagonal building from the end of the 14th century.

In the area is the Jamno Culture Open-Air Museum.

Practical information

• Location: Chełmska Hill in Koszalin.
• The chapel's opening hours and the rules for entering the grounds are set by the sanctuary. Check them before your visit.