St Catherine's Church in Brodnica

The Teutonic Order's chronicler Peter of Dusburg recorded that on 29 September 1298, during a Lithuanian raid, the parish priest of Brodnica was killed — and at that time a wooden church still stood on the site of today's parish church. The brick church that replaced it is now a 56-metre Gothic hall church on ul. Farna, the oldest parish in town and the seat of the deanery. Inside await 14th-century sculptures of the Twelve Apostles and an organ by Wilhelm Sauer.

History: Teutonic Knights, Lutherans and Swedes

The parish was carved out of the parish of Świecie on the Drwęca at the end of the 13th century. In the Middle Ages it was under the care of the Teutonic Knights, and in the 14th century the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Catherine of Alexandria. Its dating is not clear-cut: according to some sources, work began in 1285, the chancel was finished around 1320 and the nave with its vaults was built in 1340–1370; the parish gives 1310–1340 as the most likely period. The tower — one of two that were planned — was built around 1370 and raised around 1485.

The parish produced several notable figures. Peregrinus Cegenberg, parish priest in 1420–1422, took part in the Council of Constance, and Jan Malkow of Brodnica served as chaplain to Pope Boniface IX. A synod of laymen was held here in 1445, and relics of the Holy Cross were kept in the chapel under the tower. The church passed into Lutheran hands several times: in 1554–1598, during the Swedish occupation of 1628–1629 and during the Deluge (1655–1659). Once it was recovered, Bishop Adam Kos reconsecrated it in 1660. During the Second World War the Germans took away three historic bells that never came back, and on 22 January 1945 the church was hit by an artillery shell.

What to see

• Sculptures of the Twelve Apostles from the second half of the 14th century — the most valuable group of furnishings.
• A Crucifixion group from the 16th century and a stone font from the 17th century.
• Star vaults with carved keystones in the nave and chancel; the aisles have cross vaults.
• The 1875 organ from Wilhelm Sauer's workshop in Frankfurt an der Oder, originally with 25 stops; after rebuilding and a renovation in 2009–2011 it has 26 stops and moving elements in the case — the largest such instrument in the deanery.
• The west front with its single tower, a reminder of the original two-tower plan.

Did you know?

The three-aisled hall is 56 metres long and 27 metres wide, with a single-aisled, straight-ended chancel. The Sauer organ now stands in the tower gallery, because the wooden organ loft was removed in 1973 and the instrument had to be rebuilt. The parish celebrates its patronal feast on 25 November, St Catherine's Day, and a second one on 6 August, the Feast of the Transfiguration.

Tripto tips

The church is in active use, so check service times on the parish website and visit outside the liturgy. Allow 30–45 minutes for the church itself. The church is a few minutes' walk from the Main Market Square, and the visit combines easily with a walk around Brodnica's medieval centre and along the Drwęca.