The Church of Saints Joachim and Anna is a Roman Catholic church in Volodymyr, a Baroque architectural monument from the mid-18th century. Two three-tier towers on the facade are clearly visible in the city center, not far from the Assumption Cathedral and the ramparts of the ancient detinets.
From a wooden church to the Capuchins
The previous wooden church on this site was founded in 1554 by Princess Anna Zbaraska. Since 1751, the church was cared for by the Capuchins, who built a brick church the following year. The construction is associated with Bishop Adam Voyna-Oransky, who had previously been the local parish priest. The church burned down several times and was restored in the Vilna Baroque style.
According to legend, in 1794, the jewels of the state treasury of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were hidden in the Capuchin monastery on the eve of its final partition. In 1832, during anti-Polish reforms, the Russian authorities liquidated the monastery, and a residential building was later constructed in its place. Fragments of the monastery walls still remain in the nearby square.
The 20th century
After the Second World War, the church operated until 1958, and afterwards a cafe and a concert hall were set up inside, while the fence and bell tower were dismantled. In 1992, the church was returned to the faithful.
Architecture
The church is a three-aisled basilica, rectangular in plan, with a rectangular presbytery, two sacristies, and a small narthex. The facade is flanked by two three-tier towers united by a triangular pediment.
Tip
The church is active, masses are held on Sundays and holidays, which is when you can see the interior. Nearby is a square with the walls of the 1751 Capuchin monastery, from where it is a 10-minute walk to the Assumption Cathedral and the ramparts of the detinets. Together, these places make up a short walk through ancient Volodymyr.
How to find
The center of Volodymyr, next to the square with the walls of the Capuchin monastery.
