%0 Journal Article
%T The structure of the sacred zone and the ideological program of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń – Sorrowful Queen of Poland against the background of selected Catholic sanctuaries
%A Sołjan, Izabela
%A Gierek, Bożena
%J Geographical Studies
%V 2024
%R 10.4467/20833113PG.24.031.21162
%N Issue 176
%P 181-217
%K sanctuary, apparitions. national identity, religious complex, Licheń
%@ 1644-3586
%D 2025
%U https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/prace-geograficzne/article/struktura-strefy-sakralnej-i-program-ideowy-sanktuarium-matki-bozej-lichenskiej-bolesnej-krolowej-polski-na-tle-wybranych-katolickich-zalozen-sanktuaryjnych
%X Sanctuaries, as places of special worship, have attracted the interest of pilgrims for centuries. In the past, religious motives were the primary driving force behind pilgrimages; however, cognitive and cultural factors are now playing an increasingly significant role. Since the mid-19th century, substantial changes have been observed in the spatial organization of sanctuary sites, especially in large pilgrimage centers. This is particularly evident in the development of religious complexes with a park-architectural character. This study focuses on the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń, the Sorrowful Queen of Poland, which has been organized in such a form. The sanctuary was established in the mid-19th century, based on Marian apparitions recorded in 1850 in a nearby forest. The strong interconnection of religious and patriotic themes led to the creation of a unique religious-national complex in the second half of the 20th century. The aim of this study is to analyze the Licheń sanctuary in terms of its structure, composition, and symbolism. In the final section of the article, the Licheń sanctuary is compared with other park-architectural sanctuary complexes, including those in Lourdes, Fatima, and Kraków-Łagiewniki. This comparison highlights both the common and distinguishing features of these religious sites.