The most beautiful religious buildings Pomerania

The earliest records of the church date back to the ^14th century. The present building, built in the ^16th century in Gothic architectural style, was a monastery for penitent women. It was completely destroyed during the war and had to wait until 1973 to be rebuilt. In 1980, striking workers took refuge in the church, which was used as a backdrop for demonstrations broadcast by TV stations around the world, and became one of the centers of the Solidarność trade union. It can be visited subject to payment of an entrance fee of 5 zł.

St. Lawrence Church, located in the heart of Malbork Castle, is a ^14th-century Gothic masterpiece. With its soaring vaults, detailed carvings and magnificent stained glass windows, it bears witness to the grandeur of the Teutonic Order. Once the spiritual center of the fortress, it continues to attract visitors from all over the world with its history and majestic beauty. Its interior is adorned with detailed sculptures, religious frescoes and richly decorated altars, testifying to the skills of the craftsmen of the time.

This beautiful church in the characteristic Gdańsk style was built towards the end of the 17th century over a few years (more precisely from 1678 to 1681) on the initiative of King Jan III Sobieski and Primate Andrzej Olszowski. It was commissioned to provide a new place of worship for Catholics after the loss of Our Lady, granted to the city's Protestants. As a result, it is also the only Baroque church in Gdańsk, but unfortunately it can no longer be visited and can only be seen at the time of masses and other religious episodes.

Bydgoszcz's oldest church is a remarkable example of Gothic architecture. Its interiors are exceptional and impressive. Its walls and ceilings are covered in vivid colors, polychromes painted between 1922 and 1925 by Henryk Jackowski, inspired by the modernist ideas of the Młoda Polska art movement. The combination of color, Gothic architecture and Baroque altars is breathtaking. A must-see.

Nicknamed "The Crown of Gdańsk", it is one of Poland's largest churches, measuring 105 m long, 66 m wide (at transept level), 27 m high, and 5,000 m² of floor space. The roof covers an area of one hectare. The church is comparable in size to Notre-Dame de Paris. It can hold up to 20,000 people, as was the case during the period of martial law to support the members of Solidarnośćwho took refuge here. It took 160 years of work, between 1343 and 1502, to complete its construction. Initially Catholic, it became Protestant in 1572, before reverting to Catholicism in 1945. It was damaged during the Second World War, but rebuilt afterwards.

The interior, painted white, is particularly light and bright, reinforcing the impression of gigantism. 80% of its art treasures were saved during the war and stand out against the white walls. You can also climb the 405 steps to the top of the tower, for an exceptional view of the whole city.

Don't miss the astronomical clock, the real jewel of the church, built between 1464 and 1470. At the bottom, the two-screen calendarium shows the date, time and liturgical calendar; in the middle, the planetarium shows the lunar phases, the zodiac signs and the positions of the sun and moon in relation to them; above, at noon, the twelve apostles, the Magi and Death; at the very top, Adam and Eve.

Built between 1309 and 1350, under the administration of the Teutonic Order at the time of the city's foundation, this church consists of a central nave of 21 m twice as high as the two on the sides. At the end of the right nave is a Gothic crucifix called "Christ at the Tree of Life", inherited from a Dominican church, and in the chancel is an 18th century Baroque altar. The church is dominated by a double-roofed bell tower. The church is one of the most important examples of brick architecture in the Baltic Sea basin.

Built at the end of the 14th century by order of Franciscan, this imposing red brick church is austere view from the outside but beautifully decorated inside frescoes and long stained-glass windows. In particular, the three naves are frescoes from the 14th century on the life of Christ. The vaults, in star, are decorated with floral motifs. The church houses the baroque mausoleum of the Swedish princess Anna Vasa, sister of king Sigismund III.

Built in the early ^13th century, it is one of the oldest Gothic churches in the region, and the town's largest religious edifice. It dominates the landscape with its 52-metre bell tower, built in 1433. It houses the second-largest bell in Poland, after Wawel. Cast in 1500, the bell is called Tuba dei, "trumpet of God", and measures 217 cm in diameter, weighing 7.2 tons. The Protestants took over the building in 1530.

In 1187, on a hill outside Szczecin's city walls, the Church of St. James was consecrated, founded by a wealthy bourgeois from Bamberg. This vast brick church was completely destroyed by the war, but rebuilt from the outside. Post-World War II reconstruction continued from 1945 to 1972. Prior to this, the building had already undergone a period of restoration in the ^16th century. From the top of the tower, a magnificent panorama of the city opens up. The interior features many contemporary artifacts.

The church of St. John is a beautiful Gothic church of the 15th century, with a sober and slender interior. It is the oldest church in the city. Originally a Franciscan monastic complex, during the Reformation the monks left the monastery and the parishioners and clergy mostly accepted Luther's reforms. From that time until 1945, the church was an evangelical temple, with a short stint under the communist regime where it was a warehouse.