Monastery Church of the Franciscans St. Anne
The Monastery Church of the Jakub Wejher Foundation was built between 1648 and 1651. The church's furnishings date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The consecration of the church was performed by the first head of the Wejherowo convent, Father Grzegorz Gdański, who dedicated it to St. Anne. The consecration of the church and altar took place in 1663 and was conducted by the suffragan bishops of Włocławek and Pomerania, Bishop Stanisław Domaniewski. The Franciscan Church is the oldest historical monument in the city. In a side altar, you can find the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Wejherowo, venerated for its healing properties for the body and soul. The coronation of this image was carried out by Pope John Paul II at the Sopot Hippodrome in 1999. Beneath the church, there are low-vaulted underground chambers housing the burial crypts of the Wejher family, the Przebędowski family, monks, and benefactors. They have been open to the public since 1971. The southern crypt contains a small historical exhibition showcasing items retrieved from coffins, as well as documents and memorabilia related to the history of the monastery and Calvary.
The building is small, proportionate, non-orientable, with a north-south orientation. The rectangular, towerless body without an external porch is expanded to the south with a lower presbytery topped with a small tower on the roof, and to the west, there is a square chapel. The architecture represents several architectural styles. The walls resemble the Gothic style, and the nave is covered with a typical Renaissance rib-vaulted ceiling. The northern section of the church with a baroque facade was added in 1754. At that time, images of Mary, St. Anne, and the patrons of the order were painted in the facade niches.
The interior of the church impresses with its rich baroque decor. In one of the side altars, there is a baroque painting of Our Lady of Wejherowo, famous for its miracles. The southern wall of the presbytery is adorned with a polychrome depicting the founders of the Wejher Foundation and his wife, Anna of Schaffgotsch. The oldest panorama of Wejherowo can also be seen here, although it is partially obscured by the main altar.
The crypts are officially open to visitors from Monday to Friday between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, but it is easier to access them during the summer.