Dominican order

One of Lublin's most beautiful churches is the Church of St Stanislaus, located on Old Town Hill in the monastery complex of the Dominican Fathers. The appearance of a preaching order in Lublin in the mid-13th century is mentioned by Jan Długosz. Under Casimir the Great, after 1342, a brick church was erected among the Dominican buildings. Situated on the south-eastern edge of the hill, the monastic complex was incorporated into the system of defensive walls surrounding the city. It has been rebuilt many times and combines architectural features of different periods. In the 17th century it was given a new look with large windows to light up the interiors. The church with a late Renaissance gable of the façade was situated in front of today's Golden Street, stretching from one of the corners of the quadrilateral market square. The Firlejowska (St. Dominic) and Tyszkiewicz (St. Cross) chapels stood out among the chapels adjoining the church. The picturesque shape of the latter, perfectly visible from Podwale Street, was immortalised by painters and photographers.

In both chapels, the relic of the Holy Cross Tree, brought to the city in the 15th century, was consecutively kept. Since then, Lublin has become a place of numerous pilgrimages. Processions were organised with its participation, as can be seen in the painting Pożar Lublina z 1719 roku [The Fire of Lublin], preserved in the Dominican church in 1719. Unfortunately, the object of worship was stolen in 1991.

In 1886, the Russian partitioning authorities abolished the order. The buildings were used as military barracks and goods warehouses. Then the Lublin Charity Society took them over as an orphanage. In 1901, the "Exhibition of Art Objects and Antiquities" was organised here, which gave rise to the Lublin Museum. In 1938, the Dominicans returned to their seat, where they have remained ever since. In 1967 their church was raised to the rank of basilica minor.