The history of this place is closely connected with the presence of the Dominicans, who were brought to Hrubieszow by the bishop of Chelm – Jan of Cholewa coat of arms already in the first half of the 15th century. At that time a wooden church and monastery were founded for this convent with an endowment given by King Wladyslaw Jagiello. The current complex of buildings was erected in 1730-1766, thanks to the efforts of the castellan of Bierce, Jozef Kuropatnicki, and his wife, Teresa Zuzanna of Kurdwanowski.
The building still serves a sacred function as the parish church of St. Nicholas. Inside there is an eye-catching altar, dating from the period of the temple’s construction, characterized by a wealth of architectural and sculptural decoration. Between the columns that decorate the historic altar are sculptures with images of the most prominent representatives of the Dominican order. In the retable is placed a 17th-century painting of high artistic and aesthetic value depicting the image of the Virgin Mary with Child, which was considered miraculous in the 18th century. In addition, the temple retains 3 side 17th-century altars of St. Joseph, St. Anthony and the Crucifixion of Jesus.
An additional curiosity is also the side entrance of the church, which has been renamed a chapel. It houses the blood relics of the Polish Pope St. John Paul II. A historic brick bell tower from the second half of the 19th century is located in the courtyard.
Adjacent to the church is the building of the former Dominican monastery (now a school).
At this point it is worth mentioning that as a result of the Third Partition of Poland, Hrubieszow came under Austrian rule. By the decision of the invader, the Dominican convent was liquidated,
and the monks were transferred to Krasnobrod. Soon the abandoned building was adapted for educational purposes, creating a sub-departmental school. Thanks to the efforts of
Rev. St. Staszic the school was renamed from a sub-departmental to a departmental school, which raised the level of education in the Hrubieszow school.
In addition, Staszic, to enable the school to continue functioning, allocated his own funds to renovate the building, which, in addition to classrooms, housed a dormitory for students.
Political and systemic changes caused constant changes in the education system. As a result of Tsarist repression, the Hrubieszow school was abolished and a Russian gymnasium was established there. In the course of time, a men’s progymnasium was established in the former Dominican monastery, followed by a private men’s gymnasium that was nationalized in 1918. Now functioning as the Rev. Stanislaw Staszic High School No. 1 – it is one of the oldest schools in Poland.

Location: ul. 3 Maja 5

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