Tower of the Saint Cross Monastery

COMPLETION DATE: 2013—2014
LOCATION: POLAND

The reconstructed tower complements the body of the temple building as formed in 1634. The Benedictine Abbey on Łysa Mountain was founded by king Bolesław Krzywousty in the 30’s of the twelfth century. When it received a reliquary with the remains of the Holy Cross at the beginning of the fourteenth century, it became a center of cult in Poland for 300 years.

The reconstruction plan was to restore, as closely as possible, the architectural form of the tower as it was before 1914, when it was destroyed as a result of the military operations conducted by the Austrian army. In order to do it, the designers used old engravings and photographs.

For the reconstruction the following have been required: 660 tons of stone in finished product (about 28 trucks), 30 tons of steel and about 10 m3 of the original elements of the tower, which have been built into the core of the reconstructed part of the basilica. Part of the church, where the demolished tower was located, was covered by a roof. The foundation of the old tower, preserved under timber roof truss, was made of bricks. Currently, the extension consists of two parts: in the lower part, the layout, quantity and shape of the original stone blocks has been recreated and the second part – the spire structure – it is a steel structure, weighing 18 tons, to which wooden centrings, grates and formworks has been fixed and which has been covered with copper plate.

On 9 July 2014, the elements of the tower’s spire were transported to Święty Krzyż by three specialized vehicles, assisted by technical services and police. On the two following days, five elements have been installed at the stone top of the tower. At the tower’s spire, the globe and the cross are located.  The entire height of the tower at Święty Krzyż is 52 m.

The reconstructed tower will undoubtedly become yet another tourist attraction of the Holy Cross monastery. From the observation deck the tourists will have an opportunity to admire the spectacular panorama of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, and on particularly clear days they will even have a chance to see the Tatra Mountains, located over 200 kilometers away.

We put our heart in stone.
660 tons of stone

660 tons of stone in the finished product (about 28 trucks) were required for the reconstruction.

30 tons of steel

We used 30 tons of steel to rebuild the tower on the Holy Cross.

52 meters of the tower

In its entirety, the tower at Święty Krzyż (Holy Cross) is 52 meters high.