The Mariatic Cathedral in Gdansk is amazing and even suppresses with a bit of its harsh monumentality. Its construction, which began in 1343, took almost 160 years. The length of the cathedral is more than 100 meters, the height of the arches is about 30. This is the largest gothic structure of the city, the largest brick church in Europe and one of the largest European churches in general. The cathedral can accommodate 25,000 people at the same time

For a while the cathedral was accompanied by Lutheran and Catholic divine services, and during the Interregnum they were completely captured by the Protestants. It was not only a religious, but also a cultural center of Gdansk: the famous organists and composers worked and performed in the Mariack church; Kings and European nobles came to see the temple. In 1717, Peter I visited here, and later - Napoleon. After the sections of Poland, during the Prussian rule, many precious objects of the cathedral decoration were sold and have not yet returned.

At the entrance to the basilica there is a bronze mock-up of her, according to which you can get an idea of ​​the construction plan . This is not superfluous , because the huge cathedral is completely clamped between the narrow streets of the Main City, and you will not find such an angle from which it would be seen entirely . But the upper part of the church is somehow visible from anywhere in the Old City (and not only) . Its characteristic tower with flat roofs it looks a bit sad without a spire - and proudly . You can climb the bell tower, having overcome more than 400 steep steps to see from the height of 82 meters Old and Main city, and further and new, modern Gdansk - high-rise business centers, cranes the harbor, the distant forest and the Baltic .

Inside, everything breathes history and grandeur of bygone days, starting from the stone floor slabs carved with many centuries ago, emblems and names and ending with the beautiful white arched vaulted ceiling, high-high . Inside is so loose that many the numerous masterpieces of world art are completely lost in the background of this space . And this is indeed real treasures, mainly related to the Middle Ages and Baroque periods . The main altar created by Augsburg master Mikhail Schwarz; chandelier crystal mid-15th century, the old organ ornate and magnificent central stained . Here - modern stone statue of Jesus grieving: a monument to victims of World War II .

In the hall hangs a copy of a famous painting F . Memling 1472 "Last judgment" . originally in the church just kept the original, now it is possible to look at the National Museum . And one of the most precious decoration of the cathedral - a unique astronomical clock . at the time creation The hands of the master Hans Dyuringer were o Created in the 15th century . Today's clock is a restored original . They consist of three parts: the upper one - the puppet theater with the figures of Adam and Eve, the apostles, the death . In the center - the whole model of the cosmos with heavenly bodies: this and have the watch, which showed the phases of the moon and the zodiac constellation, in which it was at the bottom of . - CD with the liturgical calendar, spotted by sacred symbols over which a disc with the figure of Our Lady .

During the battle of Gdansk in spring 1945, half of the cathedral vault collapsed, overlapping burning, bells melted (including a five-ton main bell of the 16th century Gratia Dei) . The interior decoration of the church was more fortunate - at the end of 1944 the museum workers of Gdansk disassembled it and hid in different parts of the city: in homes, small churches, warehouses . After the establishment of the totalitarian regime priceless objects were carried throughout Poland, and until now not all of them were returned to the place . And the restoration of the basilica itself began the year after the war, and already in 1955 the church was again consecrated as Catholic .

The Organ of the Church

Interior of the church

Entrance to the Mary's Church