Corpus Christi Church, Pelplin

In the shadow of the vast cathedral it is easy to miss a small brick church with decorative stepped gables. Pelplin's Corpus Christi Church was built around 1417 and is part of the former Cistercian complex designated a Historic Monument of Poland. For generations of local people it was this church, not the abbey church, that was "theirs".

History

The Gothic church was built when the Cistercian abbey was flourishing in Pelplin. In the second half of the 17th century it became the parish church of the village growing up around the monastery – the monks had their great church, and the villagers needed one of their own. The church is surrounded by a cemetery with graves from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was described and drawn as early as 1885 in the German inventory of historic monuments of West Prussia.

What to look for

• The gables of red brick, stepped, with blind panels and pinnacles – a typical feature of the brick Gothic style of Pomerania.
• The small bell turret with a little cupola on the roof.
• The Baroque altar with an image of the Virgin Mary and the organ in the music gallery.
• The cemetery wall with its gates and the old gravestones around the church.

Tripto tip

The church is at plac Mariacki 3, among the curia buildings, about 150 metres from the cathedral. A walk around it takes 10–15 minutes, and the interior is usually open during services. Combine it with the cathedral and the Gutenberg Bible Museum – all three are minutes apart on foot. The best photo of the gable is from the square, when the brickwork catches the afternoon sun.