The Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity in Olyka is a prominent Baroque architectural monument from the first half of the 17th century, often called the most beautiful Roman Catholic church in Volhynia. The majestic twin-tower building stands in the center of the town, near the Radziwiłł Castle, and is visible from afar.
From a Wooden Church to a Collegiate Church
The first wooden church on this site was built in 1588 with the support of Prince Stanisław Radziwiłł, the first ordinate of Olyka, whom the preacher Piotr Skarga persuaded to abandon Calvinism. The masonry church was erected between 1635 and 1640 at the expense of Albrecht Stanisław Radziwiłł, with part of the money also provided by Prince Mikołaj Jerzy Czartoryski. The project was designed by the Italians Benedetto Molli and Giovanni Maliverna, taking the Roman church of Il Gesù as a model.
In 1640, the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Łuck, Andrzej Gembicki, and the following year it was elevated to the rank of a collegiate church. As early as 1638, the founder established a college at the church—a branch of the Zamość Academy—as well as a theological seminary. The chapter of the Olyka collegiate church existed until 1945.
Sculptures and Crypt
The facade and interior are decorated with sculptures of Saints Adalbert, Stanislaus, Peter, and Paul. The Lviv sculptor Melchior Ampeli, along with Melchior Erlenberg and Michał Hermanus, worked on the ornamentation. The crypt contains the burial vault of the Radziwiłł family.
Decline and Revival
The Soviet authorities closed the church, and the monument gradually fell into ruin. In the early 1990s, the church was returned to the Roman Catholic community, and in 1913 [Note: preserved historical reference] a major restoration began—the largest restoration project funded by Poland abroad. Plans are underway to establish a sanctuary of the Virgin Mary here, the first in Volhynia, featuring a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Kazimierz. The original of this icon was brought from Palestine in the 17th century by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł "the Orphan", and it was kept in the Olyka Castle until 1939.
Tip
The church is active, and masses are held on Sundays and major holidays. The best view of the facade is from the square in front of the church. Nearby are the Olyka Castle and the Lutsk Gate, so plan for half a day in Olyka.
How to Get There
Olyka is 40 km from Lutsk. Read more about the town in the article Olyka.
