Cathedrals

St. Peter and St. Paul's Cathedral

The Archicathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Poznań is one of the oldest churches in Poland and the oldest Polish cathedral.

The cathedral. built in the second half of the 10th century, is the supposed place of baptism of Mieszko I. It was raised to the status of a cathedral in 968 when the first missionary Bishop Jordan came to Poland. St. Peter became the patron of the church because, as the first cathedral in the country, it had the right to have the same patron as St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

The pre-Romanesque church which was built at that time was about 48m in length. Relics of this building are still visible in the basements of today's basilica.

The first church survived for about seventy years, until the period of the pagan reaction and the raid of the Bohemian duke Bretislav I (1034–1038).

The cathedral was rebuilt in the Romanesque style, remains of which are visible in the southern tower.

In the 14th and 15th centuries the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style. At that time a crown of chapels was added. A fire in 1622 did such serious damage that the cathedral needed complete renovation, which was carried out in the Baroque style.

Another major fire broke out in 1772 and the church was rebuilt in the Neo-Classical style.

In 1821 Pope Pius VII raised the cathedral to the status of Metropolital Archicathedra and added second a patron - St. Paul.

The last of the great fires started on 15 February 1945, during the liberation of the city from the Germans. Such serious damage was caused that the conservators decided to return to the Gothic style, using as the base medieval remains revealed by the fire.

The cathedral was reopened on 29 June 1956. In 1962 Pope John XXIII gave the church the title of minor basilica.


Most Famous 6 Castles in Poland

Malbork

Maybe the most famous castle in Poland is Malbork Castle (Ordensburg Marienburg) - a classic example of a medieval fortress. It is the world’s largest brick castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe.

The Teutonic Knights built the immense castle in 1274. Under continuous construction for nearly 230 years, Ordensburg Marienburg is actually three castles nested in one another. In medieval times the belief that the bigger the fortress the more powerful those within was clearly portrayed in the building of this immense brick stronghold, incorporating a system of multiple defence walls with gates and towers.

The inner castle includes arcaded courtyards, chapels, a treasury, the Knights’ Hall and an armoury. The interiors house several exhibitions, including displays on the castle’s history, and collections of tapestries, coins and medals, medieval sculptures, and weapons. During summer the courtyard is a venue for sound and light shows. The castle and its museum are listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

The town of Marienburg grew in the vicinity of the castle. The town was built around the fortress on the right bank of the river Nogat. Both the castle and the town of Marienburg were named for their patron saint, the Virgin Mary. This fortified castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and Europe's largest Gothic fortress. However, it was sold during the Thirteen Years' War in 1457 to king Casimir IV of Poland by the Bohemian king's imperial soldiers in lieu of their pay.

When the castle was sold and the Teutonic Knights left, the city of Marienburg under mayor Bartholomäus Blume resisted the Poles for three further years. When the Poles finally took control, he was hanged. The city then shared the history of Royal Prussia.

After World War II, Marienburg was put under Polish administration under the name of Malbork.

Łańcut

A mediaeval fortress, gradually transformed into a residential mansion. Famous in Europe since the 17th century, chiefly for its magnificent interior decoration, the work of famous architects and artists. You'll find a collection of antique carriages, coaches and sleighs. In May each year, during the music festival that has been held here since 1961, the Castle hosts great performers from all over the world.

Niedzica

A beautiful little 14th-century castle, converted in a Renaissance style, considered to be one of the best historical defensive structures in Poland. Lodged on top of a cliff that plummets down to the Dunajec Reservoir.

Kórnik

A romantic castle, converted in the 19th century in an English Neo-Gothic style. It is in the biggest and oldest dendrological park in Poland, set up during the early19th century. Several thousand species of trees and shrubs from all over the world grow here on an area of about 30 hectares.

Baranów Sandomierski

A Renaissance stately home, designed by the famous Italian architect Santi Gucci. Every Thursday throughout the year, it hosts the Castle Feasts, where you'll savour old Polish cuisine to accompaniment of early music.

Krasiczyn

Built at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries as a defensive structure, the Castle has superb towers and walls topped by beautiful parapets. It is located on the River San in the Pogórze Przemyskie Natural Landscape Park.

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