Jankowice Rybnickie can be explored through several specific attractions: Studzienka, with its spring, chapel and grottoes; various routes; and a wooden church with a distinctive floor plan. The themes range from local traditions to religious trails and a cycling route.

Studzienka: Spring, Legend and Chapel

According to legend, the spring at Studzienka emerged at the spot where Father Walenty died and was later buried. Walenty is said to have been murdered by the Hussites around 1430. The water was also credited with miraculous properties: people in the area believed it could cure illnesses. The history of the spring is thus closely connected with a local religious tradition.

In the late 19th century, Father Edward Bolik had a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary built at Studzienka. He did so out of gratitude for regaining his health. The chapel was modelled on the chapel above the grotto in Lourdes, France, and was solemnly consecrated on August 15, 1895. Inside are sculptures of Our Lady of Lourdes and Bernadette Soubirous kneeling before her.

Studzienka also has two smaller grottoes. One is dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners; the other is called the Grotto of the Unemployed. Together with the spring and chapel, the grottoes add further religious associations to the site, reflected in their different dedications and names.

Trails with religious associations

The Jankowicki Trail passes the chapel in the Studzienka woodland area and ends at the wooden church in Jankowice. The chapel and church are therefore key landmarks in the description of this trail. Its route connects the religious site at Studzienka with another church building in Jankowice.

Pilgrimage Trail No. 323 starts at the Church of Bożego Ciała in Jankowice and runs from Świerklany to Pszów, passing religious sites and sacred heritage landmarks. The full trail is 17.4 kilometres long. If the route is changed, its length may also change. This trail offers a different point of reference from the Jankowicki Trail: it describes a longer route and the sites along the way.

Cycling route and directions

The marked blue Cycling Route No. 292 connects Boguszowice and Jankowice. In Jankowice, it crosses the village from northwest to east and connects there with the Rybnik cycling route, which loops around Boguszowice. The two cycling routes therefore differ in what they describe: one connects Boguszowice and Jankowice, while the other follows a wider route around Boguszowice.

There are comparatively few trail markers along the section of blue Cycling Route No. 292 in Jankowice. The final stretch near Jankowice runs partly on gravel and, in places, on muddy, unpaved ground. Check the current route and conditions before setting out, as markings and surfaces may change.

Wooden church and the Michał Oak

The wooden Church of Bożego Ciała in Jankowice was built in 1675 and is one of the few churches in Silesia with a Greek-cross floor plan. For those interested in architectural history, this floor plan is a distinctive architectural feature of the village. The Michał Oak, described as a monumental tree, also stands on Akacjowa, on the right-hand side of the road.

Discover more destinations: Żytna, Rybnik, Jejkowice, Bełk, Gaszowice, Czerwionka-Leszczyny, Sumina, Piece

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