On the way to Lewków for the exhibition I mentioned in my previous post, I came across one of my favourite sights in Poland — a post-war, Soviet-era Catholic church. These were often built with only grudging approval from the authorities, limited budgets, and a lot of volunteer labour from the parish.

The results can range between unconventional at best to downright hideous. Generally, they’re not always ageing well thanks to the mix of donated materials and shoddy workmanship.

This one in Dębnica, built around 1980, fits that pattern. It’s simple, a bit ad hoc, and with the type of architectural flourish that shows the desire to make the most of what they had – triangular windows anyone?

A solid example of its type. Ugly, crude and delightful!

Here’s a couple of shots of the inside (stolen from opiekun.kalisz.pl) – it’s nicer than you might expect and carries on the triangle theme throughout.

Here’s a few examples I’ve shared before.