St Mary's Collegiate Church in Stargard

Locals often call it the cathedral, although it has always been a parish church. The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Queen of the World, in Stargard is one of the most important Gothic churches on the Baltic: it is 77.5 m long, its nave is more than 30 m high and its tower reaches 83.5 m. This is where the Szczecin architect Heinrich Brunsberg first used the colourful ceramic decoration that was later copied throughout Pomerania and Brandenburg.

History: seven centuries of building and rebuilding

Work on the brick church began in 1292 on the site of an older church linked to the town's foundation. The first phase was an aisled hall without towers. In the second half of the 14th century two towers were added, covered with dense rows of tall blind arches topped with roundels, a motif later copied by builders of other Pomeranian churches. Around 1380 Heinrich Brunsberg rebuilt the east end, adding an ambulatory with a ring of chapels hidden behind a single wall without buttresses, and the octagonal Lady Chapel, which recalls English chapter houses.

From the mid-16th century until 1945 the church was Protestant. A fire in 1635 destroyed the vaults, the towers and the medieval furnishings; before that the church had more than 50 altars, three pairs of organs and eight bells. Fire damaged the building again in 1945. From 1948 to 1957 the communist authorities used it as a warehouse, and on 30 November 1957 it was reconsecrated by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. In 2010 the church and the town walls were declared a Monument of History, Poland's top heritage status.

What to see

• The triforium gallery above the ambulatory, a rare feature in brick Gothic architecture.
• The Lady Chapel, an octagon with its own pyramid roof and ceramic figures in niches on the outside.
• Ceramic heads on the exterior of the Lady Chapel, showing men, women and fantastic creatures.
• Fresco of Christ in the Mystic Wine Press from the first half of the 15th century in the sacristy, the oldest surviving wall painting in the church.
• The chapel of Mayor Peter Gröning with well-preserved paintings, including Ezekiel's prophecy.
• Relief of scenes from Genesis in the portal of the north tower, probably 13th century.

Interesting facts

In the 19th century a document from 1622 was found inside the ball on top of the chancel turret; it noted that 330 years had passed since the church was founded, which gives the date 1292. After restoration in 1905–1911 the church was rededicated on 30 August 1911 in the presence of Emperor Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Victoria. In 2020–2023 a major restoration costing almost PLN 21 million renewed the façades and floors, and the new interior paintwork recreates the original look of the walls and vaults as closely as possible.

Tripto tip

The church closes the south-east corner of the Old Market Square. Walk round the outside first and stop at the Lady Chapel, where the ceramic decoration is best seen up close. Allow 45–60 minutes for the exterior and interior. It is an active church, so plan your visit outside Mass times. The viewing terrace on the north tower, opened in 2006, has been closed in recent years for safety reasons, so check parish announcements before you go. Combine the visit with a walk along Stargard's medieval walls and gates.