The project, using 35 floodlights, highlighted the architectural qualities of the church. Twelve floodlights were embedded in the ground, four were placed on dedicated poles, one used existing road infrastructure, and eighteen were mounted on the walls of the church and rectory.
This carefully designed lighting installation, completed two decades ago, remains an integral part of Bolesławiec’s landscape to this day, enhancing its aesthetics and emphasizing the sacred character of Castle Square.
The Church’s History Before 1945
The Evangelical church in Bolesławiec, whose history dates back to the 18th century, is an example of the turbulent history of sacred architecture in Silesia. In 1752, King Frederick II the Great handed over the site for the construction of the church to the Protestant community. Construction lasted four years, and in 1756 a rectangular church with a single-space interior and galleries was erected.
In 1835, a Neo-Gothic tower designed by Friedrich Engelhardt Gansel, an architect distinguished in Bolesławiec, was added. Three bells were hung in the tower, ringing for the first time on New Year’s Eve in 1935. The new bells, cast in 1927, were named after Martin Luther and Pastor Woltersdorff; the third was called the Children’s Bell. Unfortunately, during World War II, they were confiscated and melted down for military purposes.
After 1945, while remaining in the hands of the Evangelical community, the church began to fall into ruin due to a lack of funds for its maintenance. In 1966, the city authorities took over the building and arranged a warehouse there. As a result of a structural disaster and further deterioration, the building was extensively damaged.
The Polish People’s Republic Era
The archdiocesan curia’s undertaking to transform the rebuilt Evangelical church into a Catholic church reached a successful conclusion on July 31, 1968. At that time, the Department of Religious Affairs at the Presidium of the Provincial National Council in Wrocław approved leasing the building to the Roman Catholic Church.
To coordinate the legal matters related to the rebuilding of the property, the archdiocesan curia delegated the parish priest, canon Edward Bober. The first funds for the renovation were obtained only on June 11, 1969, enabling the purchase of basic tools and the commencement of intensive work. Parishioners made a significant contribution to the church’s reconstruction by volunteering without expecting remuneration.
Women and nuns also joined the work, supporting the laborers by preparing meals. Creating a new church required considerable dedication, work, and effort; however, thanks to this, preparations for the first Mass began as early as December 23, 1969, and the new church was thereby opened for the faithful.