St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk

Why visit?

St. Mary’s Basilica, called the „Crown of Gdańsk”, is one of the largest brick churches in the world — third by volume — and the most monumental structure of the gothic Main Town. It was built in stages from 1346 to 1502, and its interior, over 100 metres long, could by estimates hold some 20,000 people — nearly as many as the entire town at the time. For centuries the church served a Protestant congregation; destroyed in 1945, it was carefully rebuilt, so that today you can admire both the gothic structure and the surviving treasures of its furnishings. Inside, the austere brick space lit by stained glass comes as a surprise, and the historic highlights are medieval masterpieces: the Beautiful Madonna of Gdańsk, the Coronation of Mary altarpiece, the Pietà and the Tablet of the Ten Commandments. The star is the astronomical clock from the 1460s — the show of its figural theatre takes place daily at 11:57, and only once a day. Hundreds of steps lead up to the tower with its viewing platform; the reward is a panorama of the Main Town with its roofs, the Crane and the Motława river. Visiting the church itself is free of charge, though not during Mass and services; the Chapel of the Merciful Jesus is excluded from sightseeing and reserved for private prayer. Climbing the tower requires a donation brick: 20 zł standard or 10 zł reduced. Allow about an hour including the tower, and it is best to time your visit to the clock show at 11:57.

What you’ll see

• Wnętrze jednej z największych świątyń ceglanych świata
• Zegar astronomiczny z XV wieku — pokaz teatru figur codziennie o 11:57
• Piękna Madonna Gdańska i średniowieczne ołtarze
• Wieża z punktem widokowym na Główne Miasto i Żuraw
• Kaplica Jezusa Miłosiernego — miejsce codziennych Godzin Miłosierdzia

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