Polish towns rally to save historic chapels amid vandalism

In the village of Cześnik‑Kolonia (Gmina Sitno, Lublin region), a private chapel erected in 1904 by Adam Sierakowski as a family crypt is rapidly deteriorating. Village head Zdzisław Skóra says the chapel, which holds the remains of Julian Sierakowski – a participant in the 1863 January Uprising – and his family, needs urgent restoration. The structure is not listed in the provincial heritage register and has received only limited repairs in the 1970s, leaving it vulnerable to further decay.

Meanwhile, in Tarnów’s Rzędzin district, a pre‑World‑War II roadside shrine on Lwowska Street was vandalised during a road‑work project. The statue of the Virgin Mary was removed, windows were broken and wooden elements damaged. Local residents expressed outrage, and city official Wiktor Bochenek said the shrine will be moved to a nearby location once the road works are finished, assuring that it will remain part of the town’s landscape.

Both communities are calling on municipal authorities and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage to intervene and secure the future of these historic religious monuments.