Basilica of St Anthony in Rybnik

Two soaring towers with copper spires can be seen from almost anywhere in Rybnik. The neo-Gothic Basilica of St Anthony, informally called the Cathedral of the Rybnik Land, is considered the tallest church in Upper Silesia – Polish sources give its towers about 95 metres, although quoted heights range from 80 to 97 metres.

History: explosion, war and fire

The church was built in 1903–1906 to a design by Ludwig Schneider, an architect from Opole, using bricks from the nearby Wielopole brickworks. It was blessed in 1907 and consecrated in 1915. As early as 1921 it was badly damaged when eight tonnes of explosives blew up at the nearby railway station – walls cracked and one tower began to lean.

In 1945 the church was so damaged that demolition was considered, and the Red Army set up a tank repair workshop inside. On 14 October 1959 the north tower caught fire – flames raged 60–95 metres up while firefighters with ladders only a dozen metres long could do nothing but watch. The tower was rebuilt, and in 1993 John Paul II made the church a minor basilica.

What to see

• Hall interior – three naves, 68 m long and up to 40 m wide. The vaults rise 30 m and their panels are painted blue and turquoise.
• Statue of St Anthony – a folk-baroque sculpture from the 16th–17th century, probably from the old parish church, set in a neo-Gothic altar made, like the pulpit, by the Breslau woodcarver Carl Buhl.
• Stained glass – about 300 m² installed in 1999–2000; the chancel windows show scenes from the patron's life.
• Organ – built by the Biernacki firm in 1960–1965, damaged by lightning in 2009 and restored in 2012. Organ concerts are held here.

Tripto tip

The basilica stands at 4 Mikołowska Street in central Rybnik; Kościuszki Street links it with the railway station. 30 minutes is enough to see the interior. It is a working parish church, so visit outside Mass times. For a photo of the whole building, step back some distance – up close the towers barely fit in the frame. While in Rybnik, also visit the historic Ignacy Mine.