Sunlight and Atmosphere in the Ark of the Lord Church in Krakow

The article presents the relationship between sunlight and the atmosphere of the architecture of the Ark of the Lord Church in Krakow and outlines the history of this church. The research method was based on analysis of the design in the personal perceptual experience of the article’s author. The article defines the ‘atmosphere of architecture’ concept that is adopted in the study. The relationship between sunlight and architecture was examined in terms of the exposure of the physical properties of architecture and the astrophysical nature of sunlight. The analysis confirmed the strict dependence between light and atmosphere in the Ark of the Lord Church: sunlight is a form-creating factor in architecture that is related not only to the use of translucent materials, but also to the shape and spatial structure of the massing of the church. This light is an effective means of building a sacred atmosphere.