Jawor Peace Church in Jawor, Poland

The Jawor Peace Church may be smaller than its more famous sister church in Świdnica, but its interior is no less stunning, and its location further off the beaten track means that a visit here often feels more intimate.

Prior to the two World Wars, the Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants (1618-1648) had been the deadliest conflict in modern European history, leaving large parts of Central Europe devastated and depopulated. As part of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the Protestant Lutherans were given permission to construct three churches in Silesia, which came to be known as the "peace churches."

The three peace churches were built in Świdnica (then also known as Schweidnitz), Jawor (Jauer), and Głogów (Glogau). The church in Głogów burned down in 1758, but the peace churches in Świdnica and Jawor remain to this day.

In contrast to its gold-trimmed sister church, the Jawor Peace Church features a more modest blue and white palette that evokes a sense of calm and rest. It's possible to be alone here and take your time admiring the exquisite woodwork and paintings that adorn every imaginable surface.