Every year, more than 4 million tourists from 80 countries visit Częstochowa to kneel before the icon of the Black Madonna. Some of them walk hundreds of kilometers. Today, Czestochowa is the main religious center of Poland, because the local monastery “Jasna Gora” with the miraculous icon stored in it is considered the national shrine of the country and one of the main attractions of the region.
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The main shrine and main attraction of Czestochowa is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, one of the most famous and revered in Poland and throughout Central Europe.
How to get there
The nearest airport is located in Katowice, about an hour’s drive from the center of Czestochowa. The airport is served by airlines such as LOT, Wizzair, Ryanair and Central Wings.
In addition, there are trains from major Polish cities to Częstochowa, although in the summer months many Polish Catholics still prefer a walking pilgrimage to any transport. On the railway Half a dozen high-speed trains from Warsaw (3 hours 30 minutes, 40 PLN) arrive daily at Czestochowa station, and about the same number of trains from Krakow (2 hours, 34 PLN). About five trains a day come to Czestochowa from Kielce (2 hours 20 minutes, 28 PLN), and every hour trains from Katowice stop here (1 hour 30 minutes, 20 PLN).
Buses run from Częstochowa bus station to Krakow (2 hours, 28 PLN), Warsaw (3 hours, 33 PLN), Kielce (3 hours, 30 PLN).
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Entertainment and attractions of Czestochowa
The main shrine and main attraction of Czestochowa is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, one of the most famous and revered in Poland and throughout Central Europe. Painted according to legend by the evangelist Luke and known as the “Black Madonna”, this icon has been kept in the Jasnogorsk Monastery of Częstochowa for more than 600 years.
The library of the monastery is also of considerable interest, the unique collection of which includes about 8 thousand old books and a large number of manuscripts.
Located at an altitude of 293 meters above sea level, the monastery, along with all adjacent buildings and a 106-meter bell tower, covers an area of 5 hectares. The buildings of the monastery, surrounded on three sides by a park, on the fourth side go to a large square. In the corners of the monastery there are bastions, each bearing its own name. The bell tower, built in 1714 in the Baroque style, consists of 5 levels and is crowned with a spire with a cross. A staircase of 516 steps leads to the topmost, fifth level, decorated with statues of four theologians.
Chapel of the Virgin Mary
The icon itself is kept in the chapel of the Virgin Mary – the very heart of the monastery. The Częstochowa icon was made on a wooden panel, which depicts Christ sitting in the arms of the Virgin – He blesses with his right hand, and holds a book with his left. Several cuts are visible on the icon, which are believed to have been left from a blow from the Hussite saber.
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and the Nativity of the Virgin
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and the Nativity of the Virgin, adjacent to the chapel, today is one of the best examples of Baroque in Poland. This oldest building of the monastery, dating back to the 15th century, was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1690 and was repeatedly reconstructed. Between the cathedral and the chapel there is a sacristy, which forms a single complex with them.
The library
The library of the monastery is also of considerable interest, the unique collection of which includes about 8 thousand old books and a large number of manuscripts.
Knight’s Hall
Behind the chapel of the Virgin Mary is the Knights’ Hall, built in 1647 in the Renaissance style. The walls of the hall are decorated with paintings on the theme of the most significant events in the history of the monastery, and at its far end there is an 18th century altar.
Timed to coincide with the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin in Czestochowa, large-scale pilgrimages are held annually, in which Catholics from all over the world take part.
Opening hours
The monastery is open to the public daily from 05:00 to 21:30. The solemn opening of the icon is held according to the following schedule: Mon.-Fri.: opening at 06:00 and at 13:30, Sat.-Sun. and public holidays: 06:00 and 14:00.
