Church of St Roch and St John the Baptist, Brochow

Church of St Roch and St John the Baptist, Brochow tickets: which one to buy

The Church of Saint Roch and Saint John the Baptist stands in the village of Brochow, about fifty kilometres west of Warsaw, beside the Bzura river, and entry is free or by donation. It is famous as the church where Frederic Chopin was baptised and where his parents were married, and it is visited by music lovers from around the world. Most visitors combine Brochow with Zelazowa Wola, Chopin's birthplace, about ten kilometres away, where a manor house museum and park host piano concerts on summer Sundays;

tours from Warsaw usually include both. A car or an organised tour is the easiest way to reach the village, as public transport is limited. The church is a parish church, and visiting pauses during services. The surrounding countryside is flat and quiet, with willow trees along the river. Tours to Zelazowa Wola from Warsaw often include Brochow when requested.

Visiting Church of St Roch and St John the Baptist, Brochow: what to see

The church was built in the sixteenth century, between 1551 and 1561, and it is a rare example in Poland of a fortified church, designed to defend the local population against raids. It has three round towers with conical roofs and defensive walls, giving it the look of a small castle. The church was damaged during the Napoleonic Wars and the First and Second World Wars, and restored each time. Frederic Chopin's parents, Mikolaj Chopin and Justyna Krzyzanowska, were married here in 1806, and Frederic was baptised here on 23 April 1810; a copy of his baptism certificate is displayed.

Inside, the church has a Gothic-Renaissance vault, a baroque altar and memorial plaques. A monument to Chopin stands near the church. Concerts of his music are held in the church at times. The church's walls are thick and topped with defensive features, including loopholes. A statue of the Virgin stands in a niche above the entrance. The baptismal font, where Chopin was baptised, stands inside the church. The churchyard includes old graves and trees. A plaque on the church wall commemorates Chopin's baptism. Visitors can see the damage from wartime shells on the towers. The interior holds paintings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Church of St Roch and St John the Baptist, Brochow opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open during the day, especially at weekends and in summer, and it may be locked on weekdays outside service times; calling ahead or visiting as part of a tour helps. Summer is the best season, when the Chopin concerts are held at Zelazowa Wola on Sundays from May to September. Spring and autumn are pleasant, and winter is cold. Anniversaries of Chopin's birth, around 1 March, and baptism in April bring special events. Allow about twenty minutes for the church, and combine it with Zelazowa Wola in a half-day trip from Warsaw. The Kampinos National Park, a forest and dune area north of Brochow, is a popular place for walks and cycling.