Oliwa Cathedral

Gdańsk


The first surprise as you approach the cathedral is the facade, a striking composition of two slim octagonal Gothic towers with a central baroque portion wedged between them. The interior looks extraordinarily long, mainly because of the unusual proportions of the building – the nave and chancel together are 90m long but only 8.3m wide. At the far end of this ‘tunnel’ is a baroque high altar (1688); the marble tombstone of the Pomeranian dukes (1613) is in the right transept.

The showpiece of the church is the organ. This glorious instrument, begun in 1763 and completed 30 years later, is renowned for its fine tone and the mechanised angels that blow trumpets and ring bells when the organ is in action. Recitals take place on some evenings and up to six times a day over the summer. Check the schedule on the website before setting off (click on 'Muzyka organowa').