Collegiate of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wiślica

The present church was founded by the king Kazimierz III the Great, but its interior conceals the remains of the former Romanesque churches.

The first one dates back to the 12th century with unique “Płyta Orantów” (the Slab of Orants) – one of the most important and valuable examples of Romanesque art. It is the ultimate monument of that kind in Europe and it has been classified as the “class zero monument”. The depicted persons are probably:  Kazimierz II the Just and Hanryk of Sandomierz – the founders of the church. It is probably the burial place of the latter one and the possible hiding place of king Władysław the Elbow-High. Only the floor made of rich ornamented ceramic tiles was preserved from the second church from the 12th century. A section through the burial place by the church constitutes a separate curiosity. 

The founder of the church which in 2004 was given a honorary title of basilica minor by the pope Jean Paul II was king Kazimierz III the Great. A monumental, double-nave church of the Holy Virgin Mary belongs to the series of churches founded by the king as a way of redeeming his sin of priest Baryczka"s assassination.  A Romanesque statue of Madonna Łokietkowa from around 1300 dominates over the modesty of the main altar.

It is believed that Madonna helped the king – Władysław the  Elbow-High  (thus the name of the statue) to reunite the country. In the chancel holding Gothic Sacrament House, the well for keeping oils and late Renaissance epitaphs  of Wiślica cannons, one can admire the rarely seen in Poland Byzantine-Ruthenian frescos of 1397-1400 for the king Władysław Jagiełło. The exquisite vault held in the nave by three pillars with coats of arms of Polish domains present the heraldic plan.

In 1464 Jan Długosz ordered to put above the south side entrance a beautiful slab commemorating foundation of the church. The low relief presents king Kazimierz the Great kneeling in front of Vrigin Mary with a model of the church in his hand. The King is commended to Mary by Bodzanta – the Bishop of Kraków. A minuscule inscription is located under the scene.