The Augustians were brought to Chojnice in 1356 on the initiative of the great Master Winrych von Kniprode. The monks built a church, but it was disassembled during the Reformation, and the construction material was assigned for the reconstruction of the parish church and the town buildings. In 1622, a monastic house was built, located on the peninsula, from then on called the Monks’ Islet. Numerous wars of that period and the Swedish invasion of Poland resulted in yet another destruction of the monastic buildings of the Augustinians.
By the end of the 18th Century, a new, masonry, church was erected, in the late-Baroque style, with the monastic buildings. The monks, however, could not enjoy their church for a long time, as the Prussian authorities soon decided to close down the monastery and the buildings became the property of a Catholic school. The liturgical equipment was handed over to the parish church and the monks moved into another monastery. The church and the monastery were converted into apartments for teachers and students. In later years, it functioned as a town nursery. Since 1991, it has been a seat of the Catholic High School of Romuald Traugutt.
Initially, the church was aisleless, enclosed from three sides on the presbytery side. Inside, there were three Baroque altars and a painting of the Mother of God of Consolation, famous for its miracles and graces, donated to the parish church in Wieluń in 1852.
As a result of the conversion of the buildings into a gymnasium, the building lost its late-Baroque features. The interior of the church was divided into two floors, and the cupola was removed from its tower. In the corners between the main body and the tower there are annexes with concave walls, initially functioning as the staircase. On the ground floor of the tower there is a preserved entrance to the church, leading to a small porch.
The interior of the building is not open to the public.
Autor: CIT Chojnice
