Swieta Lipka Sanctuary
The famous Polish pilgrimage destination, located at the bottom of a picturesque valley surrounded by forests. You will see one of the most outstanding baroque sanctuaries in Poland, which consists of church, cloisters and the monastery. Inside you will see almost entirely original baroque sculpture ornamentation and wall paintings. Swieta Lipka is famous for its daily organ concerts.
The legend says in 14th century Saint Mary releaved herself to a man condemned to death on the last night of his life. She told him she could save him from death on one condition – he had to make a scupture of her. She gave him a chisel and a piece of wood. The man sculpted all night. The next morning, a judge noticed the scupture held by the prisoner. He thought the scultpure was so beautiful it must have been made by God. He set the prisoner free. The salvaged man remembered he had promised Mother Mary to place the figure at the first lime tree he would encounter. He did as promised and built a house nearby. Ever since then miracles and cures are claimed to have happend in the towns nearby, which drew pilgrimages from all over the country. Soon a chapel was built next to the lime tree. Even Albrecht Hohenzollern – the Grad Master of the Teutonic Knights visited it once. In 18th century, the baroque sanctuary was built.