Divine Mercy Sanctuary, Krakow

The Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków stands as a tribute to the Divine Mercy devotion within the Roman Catholic faith. This basilica serves as the final resting place of Faustina Kowalska, a figure canonized by the Catholic Church on April 30, 2000.

The site originally housed a neo-Gothic monastery built in 1889-1891 for the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, established in 1862. Sister Faustina's remains were moved to the church in 1966. Pope John Paul II declared it a shrine in 1968 due to her presence. In 1985, he named Łagiewniki the "capital of Divine Mercy devotion." After her beatification in 1993, Faustina's remains were placed beneath the Divine Mercy painting's altar.

Between 1999 and 2002, a contemporary two-story basilica, specifically dedicated to the Divine Mercy, took shape. The design of the structure was meant to evoke the image of a boat, while a towering observation tower, rising to 77 meters (253 feet), resembled a mast.

Around 5,000 people can sit in the basilica, with 1,800 in the main chapel. The altar in the main sanctuary holds the Divine Mercy painting and Saint Faustina's relics. Painted by Adolph Hyla in 1944, the altar image replaced his 1943 version, made in gratitude for surviving WWII. The basilica and image draw two million pilgrims globally in 2011.

In the basilica's lower level, a central chapel honors Saint Faustina, surrounded by four side chapels. Above, an independent post-modern Chapel of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament stands. On June 24, 2007, to mark the 60th anniversary of Operation Vistula, a Greek Catholic chapel dedicated to reconciliation was added, extending goodwill to the Greek Catholic Church.