With its fascinating heritage, Gdansk is a real treasure trove for all enthusiasts of art and architecture. Hidden among the maze of streets are beautiful Gothic gems that amaze and stir the imagination. Discover the secrets of these majestic medieval buildings that stand tall and proud in the very heart of the city. Start with the absolute masterpiece - St Mary's Basilica, which is the largest Gothic temple in the world.
Erected in stages for over 159 years, St. Mary's Church is the largest brick church in the world. It is 105.5 m long, 66 m wide in its transept, the vault is 30 m high and the interior can accommodate about 20 thousand people. From the gallery of the impressive 78-metres bell tower with its characteristic flat-roof figure proudly raised over Gdansk, there is a great view of the city panorama. Almost 400 steps need to be covered to climb there. Besides, in the shade of the Church, there is a baroque Royal Chapel funded by Poland's king John III Sobieski, with an original facade and characteristic three domes.
The Main Town Hall is a Gothic and Renaissance building situated at the junction of Dluga Street and Dlugi Targ. The most important parts of the Town Hall, housing the permanent exhibition, are its beautiful rooms: the Hall, the White Room and the Red Room. In high season, for an additional fee, the tourists can climb up to the roof walk in the tower located about 50 m above the ground, where they can admire the magnificent panorama of Gdansk.
The Torture Chamber was built in the second half of the 14th century as a fortification of the Main Town of Gdansk. Along with the Prison Tower, it constituted the Gatehouse complex (barbican) of Dluga Street. The structure was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century. It served as a courtroom and prison and oversaw countless executions over the centuries.
St Catherine's Church is the oldest parish church in Gdansk's Old Town. Its construction was completed in 1239, although it was rebuilt later. Its 76-metre-high tower is famous for its set of carillons.
St Nicolas Basilica is a three-nave temple. Its western façade has a gable decorated with recesses and pinnacles. The church is covered by a triple roof, separate for each nave. It is famous for its beautiful interiors.
This unique piece of medieval technical architecture with a distinctive, enormous dual-pitched roof was built in the Old Town on the Radunia Canal. It was the largest European industrial investment of its times. The mill is 26 m high and 41 m long. It used to be equipped with 18 water wheels with a diameter of 5 m, which constituted a great technical achievement. Currently, it houses the Amber Museum.
The Holy Trinity Church impresses with its size. Its western side has an intricate gable made of brick tiles and fittings, which conceals triple roofing. The temple's exquisite finial, based on a ceramic frieze with tendril motifs, underwent extensive restoration between 1923 and 1924. The three-nave interior of the church is 50.70 m long, 29.10 m wide and 22.65 m high.
Oliwa Cathedral in Gdansk is a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity and St Bernard. It is located in the Oliwa district on 5 Bp. Edmund Nowicki Street. It has a three-nave design with a transept and a presbytery with a polygonal ambulatory. The façade features two narrow towers, each 46 metres high, with tented roofs. The Baroque style portal, three windows of different sizes and three cartouches date back to 1688. These charming details enliven the interiors. An element typical of the Cistercian architecture is the bell tower towering above the intersection of the naves.